Opinions of Tuesday, 14 February 2023
Columnist: Rashid Issah
Dr. Kareem Mumuni, the CEO of Tamale Teaching Hospital, has resigned after serving two years as the interim CEO of the facility. His resignation follows a series of high-profile resignations within the Nana Addo and Bawumia government.
The Ministers for Trade and the Agric minister have also recently stepped down.
Dr. Mumuni's resignation statement did not indicate the reason for his departure, leading to speculation as to why he chose to leave. This has raised questions about the current state of the government and the reasons behind the wave of resignations in recent times.
One potential explanation for these resignations is the colossal spending by the presidency, which has raised concerns about mismanagement and corruption. Between January and September 2022, the presidency, according to documents reviewed by parliament spent a total of GH¢15 million on the replacement of tyres and batteries for vehicles in its pool and GH₵51,109,137.86 on fuel. The regional tours of President @Akufo-Addo during that period also cost the taxpayer GH₵16,906,272.45.
This excessive spending has led many to question whether the government's appointees are feeling the effects of the financial strain and are resigning as a result, It could also be that they are not receiving any benefits from these expenditures or are being forced to resign, similar to the offer given to the Minister of Finance Ofori Attah, which he declined.
The string of resignations and the increasing reports of financial mismanagement and corruption have led many to question the accountability and transparency of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia government. It is imperative that the reasons behind these departures are thoroughly investigated and addressed to restore public trust in the government.
As of today my research to my surprise tells me that the ordinary Ghana is expected to survive with an
Inflation - 54.1%
Food inflation - 59.7%
Debt to GDP - 93.5%
Total debts - 575 billion
Policy rate - 28%
Exchange rate $ 1 - 13ghc
VAT - increased by 2.5%
E-levy - 1%
COVID- 19 Levy - 1%
And is expected to manage a latest payment of
30% increase in Electricity
About 9% increase in Water
About 22-25% increase in LPG
About 5%-10%increase in Diesel
About 4%- 8% increase in Petrol.
What a solid Economy.
In fact, the future of the nation, Ghana, is a cause for concern as many fear that the current government is not doing enough to restore the dignity of the presidency and the value of the Ghana not forgetting the cedi against other currencies. Many are longing for the return of former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress, who brought about many changes and improvements in the country, such as the Ridge Hospital, MPS Terminal 3 at the Tema Port, Kotoko Terminal 3 Airport, Kumasi International Airport, Wa Airport, the Regional Hospital, the 200 day senior high schools across the country and are expected to enjoy the 1Billion Big Push on infrastructural development.
In conclusion, the resignation of Dr. Kareem Mumuni has raised questions about the Nana and Bawumia government's priorities and its spending habits. The high rate of resignations among government officials and the unprecedented expenditures by the government has raised concerns about the future of the nation, Ghana. It remains to be seen if the government will take the necessary steps to address these concerns and restore the dignity of the presidency and the value of the Ghana at large.