E-Levy, Wage Bill, others high on agenda as IMF bailout negotiations kick-start
The highly anticipated meeting between government negotiators and officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commenced.
The Fund’s officials are led by Mission Chief for Ghana, Carlo Sdralevich as the fate of Ghana’s financial future is tabled for discussion amid hue and cry from the public over the ever-increasing cost of living.
The Finance Ministry earlier revealed that the engagement will be a 7-day activity with the IMF officials, government’s Economic Management Team and the Presidency.
According to Presidential Affairs Correspondent, Elton Brobbey, the crunch meeting started this afternoon in Accra.
Sources say the meeting will discuss various aspects of the economy including expenditure, market reserve management, domestic arrears, expenditure controls and fiscal reporting.
Other issues to be tackled are; monetary and inflation developments, data gathering and reconciliation, revenue among others.
Government has already indicated that its flagship programmes will not be canceled despite the stringent scrutiny and potential conditionalities that accompany such bailouts.
This has attracted attention from critics as beneficiaries and policymakers look to the outcome of the engagement in this regard.
On revenue, sources reveal that the electronic transactions levy (E-Levy) will come under scrutiny by the team as part of the revenue mobilsation analysis.
Per reports, the team will look at the design of the e-levy, estimated yield, the mobilisation measure and the nature of its implementation on Thursday.
Fiscal returns for the first half of the year and the 30% expenditure cuts, financial sector payments, the wage bill, internally generated funds will be high on the agenda as well.
Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry is hopeful that the engagement will help restore macroeconomic stability, safeguard debt sustainability, and promote inclusive and sustainable growth as well as address the impact of the war in Ukraine and the lingering pandemic.”
