Why I do not support Ofori-Atta – NPP MP explains

Member of Parliament for Subin, Eugene Boakye Antwi, has opened up on why he signed on to a petition by a section of New Patriotic Party MPs demanding the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. In an interview with Accra-based Joy FM, the legislator said the Finance Minister’s comment against an International Monetary Fund programme was his main reason for opposing his continued stay in office. Eugene Boakye Antwi recounted that Ken Ofori-Atta said Ghana was a ‘proud nation’ with natural resources and personnel to steer the affairs of the country and that it will not seek a programme with the Bretton Woods institution. He added that the minister is now leading Ghana’s negotiation with the IMF, but he wondered if the Fund will want to engage such a person who made comments against them. “My principle in joining these colleagues of mine to make this position today to the president is that, a pronouncement made by Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s finance minister before the IMF negotiation started, have done him in. “You have told the whole world that Ghana is great nation, we have the resources, we have personnel so we are not going to go to IMF today, we won’t go tomorrow, we won’t go in 100 years. “The next minute you find yourself at the discussion table. Do you really think these IMF guys will take you seriously or you are someone they will want to engage? That is my point. “I am not talking about Ukraine and Russia and Covid, we know all that. But I am talking about the pronouncements made by the finance minister…his own words,” Eugene Boakye Antwi said. Ghana’s economy has been facing a downturn in recent months with economists pointing to record-high inflation rates, fuel prices hikes and the fast depreciation of the Cedi as signs of the crisis. Under the present economic challenges, President Akufo-Addo and his vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia together with Ken Ofori-Atta (Finance Minister) have come under heavy criticism over their handling of the economy. But the president has on a number of occasions kept faith with his appointees and shot down a ministerial reshuffle. He insists that his ministers are performing well. On Ken Ofori-Atta, President Akufo-Addo touted his achievements stating that he was the one who turned the economy into one of the fastest growing economies in world in his first term and thus possessed the required skills to steer the country out the current crisis. On Tuesday, October 25 however, over eighty (80) MPs from the New Patriotic Party demanded the sacking of Ofori-Atta and Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen. The minority caucus also filed a motion of censure to dismiss Ken Ofori-Atta from his role. The NPP MPs have threatened that they will boycott the 2023 budget debate if President Akufo-Addo fails to sack Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen. You can also watch this episode of People & Places on GhanaWeb TV: DS/SARA