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Dr. Freda Prempeh, a Minister of State in-charge of Works and Housing on Tuesday assured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout negotiations would not affect government social intervention policies and programmes.

“We will do our negotiations to protect our social intervention programmes, so nobody should be scared at all”, she said.

Dr. Prempeh emphasised the government’s Free Senior High School (FSHS) and the Nation Builders Corps (NaBCo) programmes in particular, were integral that would be strengthened, and entreated Ghanaians to remain calm.

The bailout, she added, was a laudable initiative that would greatly stabilise the economy, and spur rapid socio-economic growth and development.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Duayaw-Nkwanta in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, Dr. Prempeh, also the Member of Parliament for Tano North Constituency said the government’s return to the IMF was not due to economic mismanagement.

Rather, she said the bailout was due to the huge toll of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the Russian invasion of Ukraine had had on the global economy, with Ghana no exception.

“In fact, this government has not mismanaged the economy, but emerging circumstances and global circumstances beyond our control”, she said, indicating that the cleaning up in the banking sector, which was needed, cost the nation about GHC21 billion, having a disturbing toll on the economy.

Dr. Prempeh explained the national economy had resurfaced, and was doing great, under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s watch, before the COVID-19 set in, indicating that at the wave of the COVID, teachers and some nurses stayed at home and were paid for more than nine months.

“Government’s provision of free water, electricity and other economic relief interventions were all contributing factors, but we are optimistic that Ghana is going to improve very soon”, the MP stated.

She said the government was touched by the concerns and plight of the populace, and entreated Ghanaians to maintain their trust and confidence in the President Akufo-Addo’s administration which was working hard to turn the fortunes of the nation round.

“My brother, countries around the globe are all experiencing these economic challenges and hardships. In fact, our current situation is not the best, I agree with you perfectly, but it's also not the worst and we hope that things will change for the better very soon”, Dr. Prempeh added.