The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Mark Badu-Aboagye, has cautioned Ghana’s political leadership that the country cannot continue to rely on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if it is serious about achieving economic independence.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition on Thursday, Mr. Badu-Aboagye described Ghana’s repeated recourse to IMF programmes as a national embarrassment.

“If we continuously do what we are doing, then that means we should be under the IMF for life,” he said, adding that failing to manage the economy after exiting an IMF programme amounts to a surrender of national sovereignty. “If after the exit of the IMF, we cannot manage our economy, then the IMF should bring their head office here and control us,” he stated.

The GNCCI CEO highlighted that the private sector’s frustration stems from Ghana’s long-standing cycle of economic instability, in which reforms are implemented only under external pressure and quickly abandoned once a programme ends.

According to Mr. Badu-Aboagye, Ghana has already implemented key IMF-backed reforms, and there is no reason to abandon them after formally exiting the programme. “All the things that they have asked us to do, that we have done, I think we should continue,” he said, warning that neglecting these fundamental changes is the reason the country keeps returning to the IMF.

He also criticised the political narrative that frames IMF programmes as humiliating or unwanted, despite governments repeatedly seeking the Fund’s support during economic crises. “Ghana has gone to the IMF 17 times, and anytime we go there, it’s as if the IMF is the devil,” he noted.

Mr. Badu-Aboagye’s comments come amid renewed debate over Ghana’s economic strategy and its ability to maintain stability without external bailouts. For the private sector, his remarks underscore a deeper concern: policy inconsistency and weak commitment to reforms continue to undermine investor confidence and long-term planning.

The GNCCI CEO emphasised that Ghana’s challenge is not a lack of knowledge about the required reforms, but an inability to sustain them beyond IMF supervision. By insisting that these reforms continue post-programme, he positioned the IMF not as the source of Ghana’s difficulties, but as a mirror reflecting the country’s own failure to maintain fiscal discipline.

His warning was clear: unless Ghana can manage its economy independently after an IMF programme, celebrations of “exits” are meaningless, as the country remains trapped in a cycle of dependency.