Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses

Ghana is in the midst of a severe but not unprecedented macroeconomic crisis. This paper helps to evaluate the government’s policy options by (1) explaining the crisis’ causes, and (2) comparing it to previous macroeconomic crises and the policies that corrected them. Two large shocks are to blame f...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Younger, Stephen D.
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2016
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147701
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author Younger, Stephen D.
author_browse Younger, Stephen D.
author_facet Younger, Stephen D.
author_sort Younger, Stephen D.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Ghana is in the midst of a severe but not unprecedented macroeconomic crisis. This paper helps to evaluate the government’s policy options by (1) explaining the crisis’ causes, and (2) comparing it to previous macroeconomic crises and the policies that corrected them. Two large shocks are to blame for the crisis: an increase in the fiscal deficit of about 6 percent of GDP and a reduction in hydroelectric production that has not been replaced with thermal generation. This latter is more difficult to quantify, but may be as large as 4 percent of GDP. While large, Ghana has recovered from similar shocks in the past, and with luck, should be able to do so now. But this will require reversal of the large increases in the public sector wage bill that drove much of the fiscal shock.
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spelling CGSpace1477012025-11-06T06:30:34Z Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses Younger, Stephen D. economic policies macroeconomics economic stabilization Ghana is in the midst of a severe but not unprecedented macroeconomic crisis. This paper helps to evaluate the government’s policy options by (1) explaining the crisis’ causes, and (2) comparing it to previous macroeconomic crises and the policies that corrected them. Two large shocks are to blame for the crisis: an increase in the fiscal deficit of about 6 percent of GDP and a reduction in hydroelectric production that has not been replaced with thermal generation. This latter is more difficult to quantify, but may be as large as 4 percent of GDP. While large, Ghana has recovered from similar shocks in the past, and with luck, should be able to do so now. But this will require reversal of the large increases in the public sector wage bill that drove much of the fiscal shock. 2016-01-08 2024-06-21T09:23:11Z 2024-06-21T09:23:11Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147701 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147081 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Younger, Stephen D. 2016. Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1497. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147701
spellingShingle economic policies
macroeconomics
economic stabilization
Younger, Stephen D.
Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses
title Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses
title_full Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses
title_fullStr Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses
title_full_unstemmed Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses
title_short Ghana’s macroeconomic crisis: Causes, consequences, and policy responses
title_sort ghana s macroeconomic crisis causes consequences and policy responses
topic economic policies
macroeconomics
economic stabilization
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147701
work_keys_str_mv AT youngerstephend ghanasmacroeconomiccrisiscausesconsequencesandpolicyresponses