The fear of having legislators belonging to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) join their counterpart in the minority to remove the under pressure Finance Minister, has caused the leadership of the ruling party to direct that its members in the House boycott tomorrow’s session.
In this regard, a statement issued in Accra, said “the leadership of the New Patriotic Party, following broader consultations and engagements with stakeholders, has resolved and hereby directs all members of the Majority Caucus in Parliament to abstain from a scheduled vote of censure being sought by the Minority Caucus against Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance”.
“By this directive, the leadership of the Majority Caucus especially the Whips are to ensure that no Member of the Majority Caucus partakes in this exercise by the Minority Group in Parliament”.
But whoever, heeds the call, cannot have the moral grounds to later demand the sacking of Mr Ofori-Atta, over claims of economic mismanagement, corruption, conflict of interest and nonperformance.
Again, yielding to the directive which bears the signature of the NPP General Secretary, Justin Koduah, could also not have the courage to confront President Nana Akufo-Addo to demand the removal of Mr Ofori-Atta, should the President’s moratorium for Ofori-Atta to be allowed to conclude the US$ 3 billion IMF deal and also deliver the 2023 budget statement, elapse.
Already, the NPP MPs, who brazenly held a press conference threatening not to have anything to do with government’s financial commitments until Mr Ofori-Atta resigns are facing credibility crisis.
This was after it emerged that the NPP had been approached with money and been bribed by a Ghanaian businessman to back down on their demand for the Finance Minister’s removal.
It also came to the fore that shortly after making the demand and meeting the President, who is a cousin of Mr Ofori-Atta over the matter, some statutory payments, which had been in arrears over the years, were immediately released to MPs in a desperate attempt to soften them up.
But aside the bribery report and credibility deficit that the NPP MPs are suffering in the court of public opinion, the issue also raises some fundamental questions about Ghana’s multi-party democracy, especially the independence of the average MP to take decisions in the supreme interest of those who elected him or her into Parliament.
Below is the full statement from the NPP General Secretary.
November 9, 2022
For Immediate Release
*NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY ASKS MEMBERS OF THE MAJORITY CAUCUS TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTE OF CENSURE AGAINST THE MINISTER FOR FINANCE*
The leadership of the New Patriotic Party, following broader consultations and engagements with stakeholders, has resolved and hereby directs all members of the Majority Caucus in Parliament to abstain from a scheduled vote of censure being sought by the Minority Caucus against Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance.
By this directive, the leadership of the Majority Caucus especially the Whips are to ensure that no Member of the Majority Caucus partakes in this exercise by the Minority Group in Parliament
While the National Executive body acknowledges the prevailing socio-economic conditions in the country and the need for urgent remedial interventions, it is our utmost position that the demand of the NDC-led Minority Caucus is ill-intended and aimed at derailing government’s efforts at resolving current socio-economic upheavals.
The leadership acknowledges that the Minister for Finance is the leader of government’s negotiation team with the International Monetary Fund. Considering that negotiation with the IMF is nearly completed, the National Executive body of the Party strongly believes that the removal of the lead person spearheading the negotiation may adversely impact the progress made thus far.
It is worth noting that when similar calls were made for the head of Mr. Seth Tepker, the then Minister for Finance during the socio-economic turbulence under the erstwhile Mahama administration in 2015, the NDC-led Majority Caucus objected to those calls and rose to the defence of Mr. Tekper, a clear indication that the NDC lacks credibility on this matter.
Accordingly, neither the NPP nor its Members of Parliament will lend support to this mischievous move by the NDC legislators as it is one of their many ill-motivated and self-serving but unpatriotic moves to sabotage the NPP government and frustrate the administration of the country.
The leadership of the NPP wishes to assure our Members of Parliament and the Ghanaian populace that there are ongoing internal engagements aimed at addressing legitimate concerns expressed by various stakeholders regarding the management of the economy, including calls for the resignation or dismissal of the Minister for Finance.
SIGNED
JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG
(GENERAL SECRETARY).
