You Need to Learn Sense from Ato Forson – Twene Jonas Advises Bawumia Amidst Dollar Depreciation

U.S.-based Ghanaian political commentator Twene Jonas called on former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to ‘go and learn sense’ from the current Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, amidst the sharp decline in the strength of the U.S. dollar against the Ghana cedi.

In a video sighted by GhanaCelebrities.Com, Jonas praised the Ajumako Enyan Esiam Member of Parliament (MP) for his spectacular role in the rise of the Ghana cedi in recent months.

According to Jonas, Dr Forson has proven himself as a very capable minister, unlike Dr Bawumia, who miserably failed during his time as Vice President and head of Ghana’s Economic Management Team.

Jonas said Bawumia should go and see the Minister to learn from him on how to curb the rise of the dollar.

“Congratulations to Ato Forson, he’s working really hard, he’s just an amazing guy,” Jonas said. “Bawumia needs to stop rattling English and go and learn sense from Ato Forson. Now the dollar is suffering against the cedi. The dollar is dropping automatically because of Ato Forson. So Bawumia, go and be schooled from Ato Forson,”

Jonas concluded that despite Ato Forson’s good works, his boss, President John Dramani Mahama, is not exhibiting the same competence.

Cedi’s strong performance against the dollar

In recent months, the Ghana cedi has performed strongly against the U.S. dollar after years of stark depreciation.

The cedi was trading at Ghc 16.5 to a dollar in November and dropped to circa Ghc 15 in January but has since steadily dropped to a current rate of Ghc 13.47 to a dollar.

The cedi’s strong gains, after being the world’s worst-performing currency against the dollar in 2022, have sparked praise for the ruling government. Experts credit the appreciation to several factors, including fiscal policy, the Goldbod initiative, and the U.S. global trade war, which has reduced the dollar’s overall strength. Critics in the NPP, such as Minority leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, credited the cedi’s rise to a lack of government spending in certain sectors.