President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo invited the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the religious bodies to the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday to discuss solutions to the economic difficulties confronting Ghanaians.
The meetings, which were held behind closed doors after initial opening remarks, formed part of the President’s series of stakeholder consultations aimed at finding solutions to the economic challenges.
President Akufo-Addo, in his opening remarks, said “our country is in difficulty, it’s in economic crises, and it’s necessary to find a common way out,” and added that he needed the views of as many stakeholders as possible to address the difficulties.
Ghanaians are experiencing a high standard of living caused by high fuel prices and a weak currency. Prices of food and other items keep increasing at an alarming rate.
The government is currently discussing an economic recovery programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to return the country to macroeconomic stability, repair public financing, and strengthen its balance of payment.
President Akufo-Addo has held separate meetings with the Ghana Association of Industries (AGI), the Bankers Association, Ghana Employers Association, forex bureau operators, Trade Union Congress (TUC) among others institutions as part of his series of stakeholder consultations.
He said the government’s proposed solution to the challenges Ghanaians were facing would carry greater weight of success if the views and concerns of individuals and institutions were considered.
“For us to be able to find a coherent way forward, I think these consultations are important,” he said.
Representatives of NUGS and the religious bodies expressed their commitment to support the government to find solutions to the economic difficulties.