"Elections Are Useless If…World Bank And IMF Dictates To Us" – Kwesi Pratt

Ghana can never develop so far as IMF and World Bank drive policy

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. Related Stories The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has chastised both previous and ruling governments for pandering to the whims of the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and for even seeking their approval before the implementation of any major economic policy. According to Mr. Pratt, all the major political parties that have ruled this country did so in their capacity as “caretakers” with the real administrators being the World Bank and the IMF. He added that “since 1983, no major decision has been taken without the consent of the World Bank and the IMF.” He further stated that Ghanaians have always voted in vain, as it is obvious no political party can solve the country’s problems without the active involvement of the two world bodies. “The first NDC administration could not solve some basic problems, the erstwhile NPP government added to our woes and the current NDC administration is unlikely to achieve much...jubilations by Ghanaians because their political party has won power does not amount to anything...in so long as the country’s economic direction is dictated by the these two international financial institutions, the country’s General Elections for electing a President is irrelevant and useless, as we do not have a say in the economic direction of policies,” he posited. Contributing to a panel discussion on PEACEFM’s “Kokrokoo”, the outspoken Social Democrat revealed that the government of Ghana recently requested for a loan from the two financial bodies, but was unjustifiably delayed due to the reluctance on the part of government to yield to directives from the World Bank to increase electricity tariffs. “Every decision the government takes need approval from the World Bank and the IMF, Why? What sort of country is this? What sort of people are we?” he asked. Mr. Pratt opined that Ghana’s leaders were too submissive and easily succumbed to the World Bank. “Our leaders are too soft…We have these people also controlling our natural resources as well, how?...they need to critically challenge such orders from the World Bank,” he fumed in anger. Source: Alex Ofei/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana