SoNA 2021: Coronavirus has greatly damaged our economy – Akufo-Addo admits

0
786
Microscopic illustration of the spreading 2019 corona virus that was discovered in Wuhan, China. The image is an artisic but scientific interpretation, with all relevant surface details of this particular virus in place, including Spike Glycoproteins, Hemagglutinin-esterase, E- and M-Proteins and Envelope.

President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has confirmed the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in March 2020 has had a dire impact on the Ghanaian economy.

He reiterated that the pandemic also weakened health systems as it had to admit several persons who had contracted the virus.

“COVID-19 has impacted heavily on economic activities. Creating uncertainties, weakening global growth conditions while putting undue strain on weakening fragile health systems particularly in developing countries,” he explained.

While the economy witnessed stabilization about 3 years ago, it plunged because of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Mr Speaker, between 2017 and the first quarter of 2020 we had made considerable gains in the management of the national economy where we witnessed annual average GDP growth of 7%, single-digit inflation, the reduced fiscal deficit with 3 consecutive years of primary surpluses, and relatively stable exchange rate…,” he stated.

President Akufo-Addo said this while delivering his State of the Nation Address in Parliament Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

Source: ghanaweb