Ghana must legislate new measures to boost revenues by at least 0.5 per cent of gross domestic product before the IMF reviews a $918-million credit deal next month, the Fund said.
The West African nation must also outline plans to clean up the financial sector and show stronger commitment to cut debt, including limiting its next Eurobond for budget support to $500 million, IMF said in a document seen by Reuters.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta said last week the government planned to issue up to $2 billion of sovereign issuance by June to pay down debt that hit 68.7 per cent of GDP last November and help finance the 2018 budget.
Ghana is seeking a combined fifth and sixth review of the IMF programme in early April, government and IMF sources told Reuters. The fifth review, originally scheduled for December, had delayed pending implementation of benchmark structural reforms.
“Parliament to adopt revenue measures equivalent to 0.5 per cent of GDP (one billion cedis) by March 31 and do more later,” the Fund said. The document, dated Feb. 26, formed the basis for talks between an IMF staff mission and the government this week.
The mission left Accra on Thursday after discussing the actions required for the next review, as well as other reforms needed to exit the programme early next year. It is unclear if the talks were conclusive.
Ghana, which exports cocoa, gold and oil, is in its final year of the programme, designed to stabilise an economy dogged by high inflation and debt, and low growth.
The Fund said the government must publish by end of March an agreement between the finance ministry and Bank of Ghana to reinforce zero financing of the budget deficit, a core condition of the programme.
The government of President Nana Akufo-Addo, inaugurated in January 2017, said it inherited $2.3 billion in accumulated debt owed to power utilities and has launched long-term bonds for repayment.
It is also probing unpaid contract arrears of around $1.6 billion.
The IMF said while the country made progress, the central bank must adopt a fully market-based foreign exchange management policy and cut non-performing loans.
The government aims to cut the budget deficit to 4.5 per cent of GDP in 2018 from a revised 6.3 per cent while inflation is projected to fall to 8.9 per cent. It sees GDP growth at 6.8 per cent from a projected 7.9 per cent in 2017.
Source: Reuters
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Can we call Ghana an independent nation when the people governing the nation all schooled outside Ghana and also IMF enforcing the nation to collect revenue for Them (IMF) who is ruling whom? I know Ghana belong to the few Elite people, tell me if am wrong
Either you are a school drop-out or ign0rant in basic economics. If a country goes to IMF for assistance, it means the country can no longer manage its economy well so she is appealing to IMF to manage it for her. It was Seth Terkper who was then the Finance Minister. You can still enroll in the Free SHS program! Let me tell you one fact; if you school in Harvard University as Seth Terpker did and immediately after graduation, you return to Ghana without doing any postgraduation job in USA for experience, there is no much difference between you and a Ghanaian who graduated form a university in Ghana. Seth Tekper returned to Ghana with no skill. The reason is because Education+Work Experience=Skill! Seth did not have any work experience in amerika after graduation.I LIKE HIS PERSONALITY. HE IS A FINE GENTLEMAN.
Ei bebrebe yi nyinaaa.... SETH Tekper was by far a better manager of the national economy than this over hyped and bloated pseudo economy manager!!! Ghana, Ghana, Ghana!!! God help you!!!