COVID 19 Responses: Presidency, Parliament and Economy- Week 4

 COVID-19: Akufo-Addo extends ban on public gatherings by 2 weeks: The President on Sunday, March 15, 2020 declared a ban on all public gatherings including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, church activities and other related events as part of measures to stop the spread of Coronavirus in the country. Read more

Coronavirus Response: Bawumia Launches Covid-19 Tracker App: Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched the Covid-19 tracker application aimed at supporting the government’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Ghana. Read more

African countries must be ready for radical change in global economy after COVID-19- Bawumia: Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged African countries to get ready for a radical change in global economic outlook after the COVID-19 pandemic.”It will usher in more self-reliance in the production of goods and services,” he said. Read more

Ghana Gets IMF’s $1bn For Covid-19 Fight: THE INTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a disbursement of US$1 billion for Ghana to be drawn under the Rapid Credit Facility to fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease. Read more

IMF’s $1bn loan drops Friday: The $1 billion interest-free loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be transferred into Ghana’s account on Friday. The fund will be used to mitigate the impact of the raging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the lives of the people and the economy. Read more

Economy faces first recession since 1983: The economy risks suffering negative growth rates in the upcoming quarters as the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to rob the country of the usual social briskness that keeps factories humming, trading active and foreign exchange flowing for growth to remain in the positive territory. Read more

COVID-19: IMF’s $1bn facility comes with no conditionalities – Ken Ofori-Atta: Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has cleared the air regarding the $1billion Rapid Credit Facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cushion the economy against shocks that arise from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, the loan comes with no conditions as purported by the opposition National Democratic Congress. Read more

US$1 billion IMF loan to Ghana raises silent questions: Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s finance minister had indicated to Parliament that following the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a significant hit on the country’s non-oil revenue, which will lead to a revenue shortfall of up to GHC2.2 billion (approximately $377 million).
But the IMF has said that “The COVID-19 pandemic is already impacting Ghana severely. Growth is slowing down, financial conditions have tightened, and the exchange rate is under pressure“. Read more

New budget statement needed to reflect Covid-19 impact on Ghana’s economy – KPMG: Audit and tax advisory powerhouse, KPMG, has said the coronavirus pandemic will reverse Ghana’s macroeconomic gains, with fiscal deficits projected to widen to 6.6% of GDP. “A new budget statement may be required to needed to address these gaps and reset targets,” KPMG said in a Ghana-focused analysis on the economic impacts of the Covid-10 pandemic. Read more

41 illegal immigrants arrested at Babile: A total of 41 people have been arrested by personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at Babile Inland Post in the Lawra District of the Upper West Region for attempting to enter the country illegally. The people, comprising of 39 Ivoirians and two Ghanaians who were traveling on two Sprinter buses with Registration Numbers AW 253-14 and GE 8700-12 through an unapproved route were intercepted on Monday by personnel of the Immigration Service at Babile through intelligence. Read more

22 persons arrested in Volta Region for trying to cross border into Togo: Some 22 recalcitrant persons have been arrested at Ave Hevi, a border town in the Akatsi North District of the Volta Region in the deep night of yesterday, April 14 while attempting to enter neighbouring Togo on motorbikes. Read more

 Security personnel round up 107 intruders from Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo: About 107 foreign nationals who entered the country illegally have been arrested by security personnel stationed in the Upper West and Ashanti Regions respectively. Seventeen Burkinabes, made up of 11 males and seven females were apprehended at Babele in the Upper West, while 90 Beninese and Togolese made up of 68 males and 22 females were arrested in the Ashanti Region. Read more