A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Joshua Jebuntie Zaato has asked where the gold that is seized from illegal miners goes, given that gold can no longer be sent out of the country following the introduction of the GoldBod.
Dr Zaato states that the understanding is that there is no escape route for gold out of the country due to the presence of GoldBod, yet every day reports are that illegal miners are still plying their trade.
Hence, his question on the whereabouts of the gold from the illegal miners.
“If we are told that there is no way gold will escape the country, yet illegal mining is going on, where is the gold from the illegal mining?” he asked on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, July 26, while contributing to a discussion on the mid-year budget presentation.
On the issue of the exchange rate, Dr Zaato said that one thing the managers of the economy have not handled properly is the middlemen in the exchange rate, popularly referred to as “Abochi.”
He says that whereas some banks do not have dollars for customs, the “abochi” has the dollars ready to exchange for higher rates.
This, in his view, is a disturbing phenomenon that must be addressed.
Dr Zaato said “One thing we have not done well is dealing with the “abochi” saga. You go to the bank, there is no dollar, but the “abochi” is standing behind the bank with dollars.”
Dr Zaato, also accused the Mahama administration of inconsistency. He says that whereas the current managers of the economy admit to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the previous government set a good foundation for an economic recovery, they also paint a different picture when they speak to Ghanaians, claiming Ghana was a crime scene.
“We have made it look like when the economy was handed over, it was bad and there was nothing good about it, but somehow we are seeing figures today that contradict the current government on what they say.
“They made it look like they inherited a crime scene, but when they meet the IMF, they praise the former government. This doesn’t show consistency,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, July 26.
His comments come at a time the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, said that at the time the Mahama administration took over governance on January 7, the economy was struggling.
He stated that they inherited a weak financial sector with significant non-performing loans. Additionally, he noted that they inherited a derailing IMF programme.
“Indeed, as President Mahama said, the whole of Ghana was a crime scene,” he remarked during the mid-year budget presentation.
Dr. Ato Forson accused the previous Akufo-Addo administration of incompetence in managing the economy.
He also blamed the central bank under the Akufo-Addo government for driving inflation to unprecedented levels.
In contrast to the previous administration, he said President Mahama has chosen the path of structural reforms and transformation.
“We have made significant progress; the signs of recovery are visible,” he added.
