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The Minority in Parliament, earlier this week, predicted economic doom for the country under the leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

They claimed poor management of the economy and the increasing debt portfolio will plunge the nation into severe recession, as experienced in 1983.

According to them, the government's economic policy for 2018 will potentially revert Ghana to the status of Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) by the year 2019.

The Minority made this know during a roundtable breakfast discussion of the 2018 budget and economic policy in Accra on Monday, November 13, as the Ranking member on the Finance Committee and Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson indicated the country's public debt had hiked up from GHC 122.6 billion in January this year to GHC 138.6 billion as of June 2017.

But seasoned journalist Kweku Baako has opposed the position of the Minority on the economy under the Akufo-Addo administration.

Speaking to sit-in host of Peacefm's 'Kokrokoo' Nana Yaw Kesseh, Kweku Baako described them as "alarmists".

He pointed out that there were a lot of factors that led to the infamous 1983 severe recession that hit the country and not necessarily, the bad management of the economy.

Mr. Baako revealed that during the 1938 era, although he was imprisoned, he witnessed the hardships that characterized the Ghanaian economy and the Akufo-Addo government cannot be said to have plunged the country into such economic abyss that was experienced in 1983.

To him, the Minority cannot compare the bright economic standing under the current administration to the 1983 hardship.

"....That’s why I’m saying they’re Prophets of doom and peddlers of rumors…They use such an important platform to peddle rumors, street corner rumors", he stressed.

He expressed optimism that the government will not send the country back to the status of HIPC as trumpeted by the Minority.

According to him, though there are inevitable economic deficits, it's however significant to note that the government has taken major decisions that have positive effects on the economy.

“There’s no perfect system out there. I haven’t seen any perfect budget before. Whatever it is, this 2018 budget will show that there were areas especially revenue generation and so forth where we have difficulties. So, we will look at the ways and means the government will show how to deal with those challenges that came in 2017. Everybody knows the government inherited an economy that was hugely challenged, if not in coma”.

He advised the Minority to utilize opportunities they get in addressing national issues to project a "certain level of knowledge, information and experience from them, especially when they’re dealing with issues of public interest”.