By Hannah Awadzi
Accra, Aug. 22, GNA – Dr Sam Ankrah, a Development Economist, has urged President Akufo Addo to suspend the recent tariff hikes, which are to take effect on September 1, 2022.
He also suggested an emergency session of Parliament to review downwards the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) of 1.5 per cent.
“I believe it’s about time President Akuffo-Addo address the nation more seriously on the ongoing economic crises; not in flash statements here and there. The ever-falling Cedi and ever-rising inflation are critical issues, so I’d respectfully like to encourage the President to roll up his sleeves and get to work sooner than later, to hold down an already calamitous situation.,” he said
Dr Ankrah, who is also the President of the Africa Investment Group, said the President must announce some hands-on measures to turn the tide around.
They must include emergency measures, medium and long-term action plans, which he and his Economic Management Team have systematically prescribed to decisively put the ongoing chaos in check.
He said the President must unveil a set of relief measures to ease the economic stress on the citizenry and calm nerves as well as allay the fears of the nation, saying, “It is clear that speculative sentiments are contributory factors to the inflation and depreciation, especially over these past few days.
“The President’s silence is deafening and that’s not good for the business community, workers and families who are directly and indirectly hard-hit by the current state of affairs; and whose quality of life diminishes by the minute as a result. Flash comments here and there, at public functions, will not do a thorough job of the matter,” he added.
GNA