Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has opened up on his decision to remain at post Finance Minister despite the clarion of call by majority of Ghanaians including lawmakers from both NPP and NDC for him to step down.
According the minister, the calls for his removal from office were valid within the context of the nation’s democratic structure.
In an interview with GTV over the weekend, Mr. Ofori-Atta emphasized that, as a public figure, people possess the right to voice their demand for his dismissal.
However, he noted that he was incapable of abandoning the country when it mattered most.
“In the period of censure, in which Parliament then voted against it, but more importantly, you were in a situation where you were battered and broken. [But] you do not leave a ship at that time. And given the urgency of ensuring the IMF programme goes through, for me, it was a duty to serve, and there was no running away from it,… and really we serve at the president’s pleasure” the Finance Minister said.
In 2022, the Finance Minister encountered criticism, with certain members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) advocating for his removal, holding him accountable for the country’s economic difficulties.
Furthermore, the National Democratic Congress presented a censure motion aimed at his expulsion, citing reasons such as significant incompetence and potential conflicts of interest.
The MPs cited the following reasons as justification to revoke Ken Ofori-Atta’s appointment:
- Despicable conflict of Interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantage. particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang.
- Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral;
- Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution;
- Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament
- Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst performing currency in the world;
- Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and on excruciating cost of living crisis;
- Gross mismanagement of the economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship.
Amid the vote to remove the Finance Minister from his position, the Majority staged a walkout, preventing the Minority from forming the quorum needed for Mr Ofori-Atta to be removed from office.
The proponents of the motion needed the votes of 183 legislators to have the motion passed against Mr. Ofori-Atta.
