The President, Nana Akufo-Addo, is currently at crossroad, torn between his family and senior members of his ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), and must make a quick decision as to how to rescue his sinking administration heavily-laden with economic hardship in the face of currency depreciation, hyperinflation among others.
The worsening situation, has sparked a rebellion in the NPP, forcing some 80 Members of Parliament (MP) including Ministers of State to call for the dismissal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen.
One of the MPs, Eugene Boakye Antwi, who represents Subin Constituency in the Ashanti Region, stressed that Mr Ofori-Atta, must no longer be allowed to continue as Finance Minister, charging that Ghana is a democratic country and should not be run like a family affair; “We’re running a democracy and not a family dynasty.”
Earlier, the NPP MPs at a press conference in Parliament, yesterday, Tuesday, October 25, warned that if President Akufo-Addo, does not heed to the call, they will not be present for the 2023 budget hearing and therefore, risk losing their support for government business going forward.
“If our request is not responded to positively, we will not be present for the budget hearing, nor will we participate in the debate,” Mr Appiah-Kubi, spokesperson for the Majority caucus and MP for Asante-Akim North constituency indicated.
As at the time of going to press, the MPs, had gone into a crisis meeting with the President and the leadership of the NPP, urging all stakeholders to remain calm, as the party seeks an amicable resolution to the impasse of whether or not Mr Ofori-Atta, should be removed as Finance Minister.
In a statement issued Tuesday night (October 25, 2022), the National Chairman of the NPP, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, said the leadership was committed at all times to engage the government on issues of utmost interest and concern to the party, government, and the citizenry.
It is obvious the President is getting isolated by the day and his arrogance posturing that the Finance Minister, who is his cousin, has performed creditably, is likely to separate him further away from the party which has vowed to break the 8-year jinx of voting out a ruling party.
The Herald’s information is that President Akufo-Addo, had ignored early warning from the leadership of the NPP MPs that some members had become discontent with the Finance Minister and were going to demand his dismissal.
Other reports had been that, President Akufo-Addo, in a meeting with some of the MPs, said he was not going to sack Mr Ofori-Atta, because he had used his Databank Financial Services to sponsor his presidential ambition, and that keeping him at the Finance Ministry was his reward.
Word around the NPP legislators is that, if the President fails, they are ready to join some 136 MPs from the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) side of the House to pass a vote of no confidence in Mr Ofori-Atta and boot him out from the Finance Ministry, calling him a failure.
The Minority in Parliament, has filed a motion for the removal of the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. The motion was filed by Asawase Member of Parliament (MP) Muntaka Mubarak and dated October 24, 2022. The opposition lawmakers, believe the Finance Minister has failed in managing the economy.
Mr Appiah-Kubi, who introduced himself as the spokesperson for the disgruntled Majority MPs group, said they decided to voice their position, because several concerns sent to the government have failed to yield any positive results.
According to the NPP MPs, sacking Ofori-Atta and Adu Boahen, will help restore confidence in Ghana’s economy.
“The recent development within the economy is of major concern to our caucus and our constituents. We have made our grave concern known to our president through the parliamentary leadership and the leadership of the party without any positive response.”
“We are by this medium communicating our strong desire that the president changes the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry without further delay in order to restore hope to the financial sector and reverse the downward trend in the growth of the economy,” he added.
“We want the President to remove Ken Ofori and Chares Adu Boahen. We are by this medium communicating our strong desire that the President changes the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State in the Finance Ministry without further delay.
“We want to serve notice, and notice is hereby served that until such persons as aforementioned are made to resign or removed from office, we members of the Majority Caucus here in Parliament will not participate in any business of Government by or, for the president by any other Minister.
“We hope that those of us in the back bench and members of the Majority caucus, will abide by this prayer. We are saying that if our request is not responded to positively, we will not be present for the budget hearing, neither will we participate in the debate.
The MP for Okaikoi Central Constituency, Patrick Yaw Boamah, said the call to reshuffle the Finance Minister, is a good one if the Akufo-Addo-led government wants to succeed and break the cycle of eight years per party at the helm of the country’s governance.
Mr Boamoah, asserted that, if it requires Akufo-Addo to sack all his cabinet ministers and set up a new government, the MPs will support him.
“It’s a good call that as a concerned Majority, we want our government to succeed.
“So whatever it takes for the government to put in place the right measures, if it requires removing all the cabinet ministers and setting up a new government, we will support it”, he said.
The country’s current economic predicament, has compelled the government to seek support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Eugene Boakye Antwi, speaking to Asempa FM in an interview on the ‘Ekosii sen’ programme, is also unhappy about the economic challenges and wants Ken Ofori-Atta sacked, saying, “We’re running a democracy and not a family dynasty.”
He explained that the 80 Majority Members of Parliament, have nothing against the President or the Finance Minister, but only want to save Ghana and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
“My principle is that I don’t speak ill of fellow party members. I don’t want to stretch Ken Ofori-Atta’s issues. “We are not against President Akufo-Addo, nor Ken Ofori-Atta. We’re fighting to save Ghana and the NPP.
“I have been loyal to President Akufo-Addo for 20 years and have nothing against him. We want Ken Ofori-Atta sacked,” Eugene Boakye Antwi said.
The Subin MP, further noted that he is ready to put his parliamentary seat on the line and does not care if pushing for the sacking of the Finance Minister, will cost him his seat.
Even the pro-NPP group, the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) on Monday, demanded the head of the Finance Minister and Mr Adu Boahen, over their handling of the economic crisis.
On Monday, on Citi Eyewitness News, Arnold Boateng, the General Secretary of AFAG, said “clearly it looks like the Finance Ministry and the government has dropped the ball on the economy.”
“Reassign the Finance Minister and Adu-Boahen because they have been there for a long time and their activities, have caused the mess we are in now.”
“His posture does not augur well. He has lost the trust of the nation. The name Ken Ofori-Atta has become synonymous with failure, synonymous with incompetence and any adjective you can call.”
In response to the calls for Ofori-Atta’s head, President Akufo-Addo, during an interview on Kumasi Based OTEC FM last week, said he can’t turn his back on his Finance Minister.
“I came to office in 2017, when we were under an IMF programme. This same Ken Ofori-Atta was able to manage the economy for the first 3 to 4 years. We were then one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. We had an average growth rate of 7% a year.”
“For someone who has been able to do all these, how do I turn my back on him? For me, his performance has been excellent. That is why I have great difficulty in understanding what is going on.”
Ghana is currently going through a tough time with its economy, as there seems to be no end in sight for its challenges, while the debt stock has hit unsustainable levels.
At the moment, Ghana’s inflation has skyrocketed to 37.2percent in September 2022, the highest in the last 21 years.
The cedi, has also lost value to major trading currencies, especially the dollar, in the last ten months and is currently trading at almost GHc14 to a dollar.
Fuel prices, have also crossed the GHc15 per litre mark, compelling transport operators to threaten to increase fares by 40percent.
V.I.P Jeoun Transport Service, has already increased its fares by 20% effective Monday, October 24, 2022, with further fare hikes expected in the coming weeks.
In a tweet, North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said “In compliance with Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the NDC Caucus in Parliament has successfully filed a motion for his immediate removal.
“We’re glad there’s positive indication that some of our NPP colleagues will support us.”
Mr Stephen Ayesu Ntim’s statement said “the National Executive body of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken notice of a press conference held on Tuesday October 25, 2022, by some members of the Majority Caucus of Parliament, demanding amongst others, the immediate resignation or dismissal of Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance; and Hon. Charles Adu Boahen, Minister of State at the Finance Ministry respectively.
“In view of the above development, the leadership of the party is currently engaging Government as well as tie Parliamentary Group, and urges all stakeholders to remain calm as it seeks an amicable resolution to the impasse.
“The leadership of the Party, herein, reiterates its commitment to at all times, engage Government on issues of utmost interest and concern to the Party, Government, and the citizenry.
“May God bless our homeland Ghana and make the New Patriotic Party great and strong.
