We're In a Period of Austerity . . . Be Mindful of The Times and Spend Wisely - BoG Told

Salam Mustapha, the National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has admonished the authorities of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to be sensitive to the plight of Ghanaians and spend wisely.

Tackling the Minority in Parliament's revelations of the bank incurring a loss of GH¢60.8 billion last year, Salam Mustapha opined that the bank is partly to blame for some of its expenditures.

At a "Moment of Truth" event organized by the National Democratic Congress on Tuesday, the Minority Leader, Ato Forson revealed a Bank of Ghana report "recorded a staggering loss of GHS60.8 billion, which is equivalent to $6 billion. This is twice the amount we are to receive from our recent IMF bailout".

The Minority has asked the Governor of the bank, Dr. Ernest Addison and his deputies to resign, blaming them for mismanaging the bank.

"This means the recklessness and mismanagement of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana has cost the nation twice what we are struggling and sacrificing to receive from the IMF amid major conditionalities," the leader of the Minority, Ato Forson stressed.

To Salam, though the bank authorities cannot be said to have entirely misconducted themselves, he however finds some portions of the report disturbing.

He cited the payment of huge allowances to its Directors, at the time Ghanaians were going through very trying times, as a bad decision and implored the authorities to take decisions in the interest of Ghanaians.

"We are in austerity period. They should be a bit sensitive. When you check the allowances they paid to their Board of Directors and so on and so forth, it wasn't appropriate...They should be mindful of the times in which we are," he said on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo".