By Wisdom JONNY-NUEKPE
Despite facing several economic upheavals over the past few years, most notably the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which amounted to an astounding GH₵61.7 billion, central government needs to devise innovative strategies to restore investor confidence, according to Banking Consultant Dr. Richmond Atuahene.
At the 2025 Money Summit organized by B&FT in Accra, Dr. Atuahene commented on how the nation transitioned from a fiscal crisis in 2018—where expenditures reached approximately GH₵25 billion, representing about 7.1% of the gross domestic product—to facing the expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic amounting to GH₵21.8 billion as well as an economic slump during 2022.
He revealed that the final blow for both retirees and investors, disrupting their investments and savings, was the DDEP, costing the government an enormous sum of GH₵61.7 billion.
That was the total amount lost by pensioners, the BoG, banks, individuals, and various stakeholders such as retail and institutional investors.
He noted that what has been truly surprising was that right when things were calming down after the chaos, President Donald Trump opted to impose a 10% tariff on goods coming from Ghana.
Dr. Atuahene stated that this choice would undoubtedly lead to more costly imports and less competitive exports, thus introducing an element of unpredictability for companies.
Dr. Atuahene provided some context and addressed the query: “Given all the economic challenges the nation has encountered previously, what steps should the central government take to enhance the appeal and interest in investment opportunities?”
He asserted that the nation must move forward irrespective of challenges, stating further: “Nevertheless, we require practical and decisive leadership since many of the country’s financial issues stem from our own actions.”
Similarly, Joe Jackson, the CEO of Dalex Finance, pointed out that even though investor confidence suffered significant damage recently, the nation must not halt progress or stay immobilized regarding investments.
“The DDEP represented an unprecedented event occurring once in a generation, and similar to how the nation has adapted to post-COVID protocols, we need to find a method for restructuring and progressing collectively,” he stated, stressing that both debt servicing ratios and inflation should be comprehensively tracked and managed.
Even with the impacts of the DDEP, Mr. Jackson stated that investment remains the crucial solution and approach for ensuring robust pension outcomes.
The Summit’s theme,
‘Enhancing Investment and Pensions Management: Approaches for Sustainable Retirement Income and Economic Growth’,
highlights the way long-term financial planning can be the key to achieving a successful retirement.
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).
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