In order to stabilize and develop the economy, Ghana, according to Professor Ernest Aryeetey, a former vice chancellor of the University of Ghana, must look beyond the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

He pointed out that Ghana had always been able to overcome economic difficulties with the help of the IMF, but for political reasons, the country had refused to implement the necessary reforms.

At the 26th GJA Awards in Accra, which had as its topic, "Walking the path towards Ghana's Economic Recovery - The Role of the Media," Prof. Aryeetey made this statement.

He said after economic recovery, there must be stabilisation and transformation, which required broad participation and the need to change agriculture, boost trade, stimulate investment and industrialise not to get back to the same situation.

“Today, we are where we are because we failed to develop the right type of politics that will support economic transformation… (We need to) think about the political economy. How we (can) use our institutions to develop the right type of policies,” Prof. Aryeetey said, adding that the country needed to welcome more analysis and debates on the economy.

Prof. Aryeetey asked the media to create space for discussions on the economy towards finding solutions to the challenges, saying without that, it would only be the ideas of a small political group, friends and families.

“Let’s encourage debates on the economy. Let’s create a Ghana where ideas flourish and stop tagging people who share their thoughts on the economy..,” Prof. Aryeetey, who chaired the awards event said.

Madam Florence Oboshie Sai-Coffie, Special Advisor to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Media and Strategic Communications, said government was doing its best to bring the economy back on track and tasked the media to amplify voices that could help find solutions to the economic challenges.

She said the media would be prioritised in the search for the solution and said Government was happy journalists were responding positively to the call for all hands to be on deck for economic recovery.

Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, Chairman of National Media Commission, asked the media to sustain national interest in discussions on the economy and not partisan ones.