The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, has declared that Ghanaians are now experiencing an “air of freedom” due to the new NDC administration.
This follows what he described as years of economic mismanagement and political oppression under the previous government.
In assessing the new government’s performance over its first 60 days, he outlined what he sees as significant progress while dismissing criticism of the administration’s policies and actions.
Tanko-Computer was emphatic in his assertion that the current government has ushered in a period of liberation for the Ghanaian people.
“That we are in office is the air of freedom – Ghanaians are breathing the air of freedom,” he stressed.
According to him, the previous administration had operated as if the country were its “bonafide property,” treating state resources as a personal enterprise.
“It was like we were in an era of slavery,” he claimed, arguing that the recent change in government has restored hope and independence to the populace.
For Tanko-Computer, this newfound sense of freedom is itself an achievement.
Policy Implementation
The NDC government, he pointed out, has moved quickly to fulfill campaign promises. One of the key successes, he said, was the swift formation of a cabinet within 14 days of assuming office, an achievement he claimed was unprecedented.
“The government was well-prepared. That is why we were able to form the cabinet in record time”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications
He also highlighted the rapid establishment of critical initiatives, including the Education Forum, the Constitutional Review Committee, and the Economic Forum. These, he said, were integral to the government’s broader strategy for national development.
“The committee has been set, and the processes are ongoing. All of this is part of uncovering a lot of the previous administration’s loot; people are going to be hot”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications
He expressed strong support for the president’s directive to freeze accounts and seize properties of individuals suspected of corruption under the previous government.
“Those running away, we’ll get them – even if it means talking to Interpol to fish them out for us,” he added.
Economic Outlook and Cost of Living
Asked whether the economic situation has improved for ordinary Ghanaians, Tanko-Computer insisted that positive changes are already taking effect.
“Life is cheaper as of now,” he claimed, citing a reduction in interest rates and a stabilizing currency.
“Interest rates are coming down, the Finance Minister just posted it recently. The dollar is a bit stable, around GHS 15.2 on the black market. Businesses are picking up”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications
He also pointed to the government’s success in paying bondholders their coupons, asserting that this had alleviated the suffering of pensioners who had been left in financial distress.
“Our grandfathers were dying because their money was locked up. Now they won’t die again because they have money to buy their medication”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications
Despite these claims, he acknowledged that overall living costs has not yet significantly decreased.
“It has been stabilized, things are better in some way,” he said, adding that while the government was on track, more time was needed to achieve its full economic goals.
The Social Contract
Addressing campaign promises, Tanko-Computer reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to scrapping taxes that it had labeled “draconian.” These include the E-Levy, Covid Levy, 10% tax on betting winnings, and emissions levy.
“The finance minister will present the budget in the next eight days, and in that budget, all these taxes will be scrapped. This is a contract we signed with the good people of Ghana, and we mean business”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications
He dismissed concerns that removing these taxes could create revenue shortfalls, asserting that the government “can make money from the capital market.”
“We are not going for the free-flow borrowing that the previous administration engaged in,” he assured.
Debt and Transparency Concerns
Responding to claims by the former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Stephen Amoah, that the new government has already borrowed over GHS 50 billion in its first two months, Tanko-Computer outrightly rejected the allegation.
“It’s a complete lie,” he said, accusing the opposition of spreading misinformation. “Government has not borrowed any money. I don’t know where they got that figure from.”
On the subject of transparency, he defended the administration’s approach to investigating financial mismanagement.
He explained that the Operation Recover All the Loot (ORAL) Taskforce had been set up specifically to scrutinize financial dealings over the past eight years, as a result of alleged large-scale corruption.
“For eight years, there was massive looting of state resources and assets. Even an ordinary person, without going to school, could see the level of corruption”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications
About why the investigation was not extended beyond the past eight years, Tanko-Computer argued that the previous administration had already investigated the NDC’s earlier tenure.
“They went after our people, put some of them behind bars, and investigated everything from 2009 to 2016. Now it’s our turn to review their eight years”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications
He insisted that the government was not engaging in political persecution but rather working to recover stolen assets and hold “people accountable.”
To Tanko-Computer, the speed at which the new government has settled into office was proof of its efficiency.
“Unlike previous governments that took months to form their teams, we already have a functioning government in place. This means businesses can engage with government institutions without unnecessary delays”
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications
As the administration approaches its 90-day mark, he assured that the government remained committed to delivering on its promises, citing the “goodwill and mandate” they have to implement “every single policy.”
