Former President John Dramani Mahama has blamed Ghana’s woes on the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Mr Mahama described Mr Ofori-Atta as an untouchable appointee of the President who is creating problems for the economy.
Delivering an address at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Thursday October 27, he said “We’ve had our own set of challenges in government but nothing we did, or the outcome thereof, has come anywhere close to the disaster unfolding before our eyes today.
“To be clear, we are in this mess because an untouchable finance minister, relying on his Databank workers, and neglecting the advice of seasoned experts at the Finance Ministry, has been left to run this economy into the ground.
“We are in this mess because a so-called “solid economic management team” over the last few years, has been unable to call the President’s cousin to order when he embarked on a reckless borrowing spree, indiscriminate closure of indigenous banks and financial institutions, and creative presentation of economic statistics to make our situation look rosier than the reality.
“We are in this mess because we have a President who fails to take responsibility and has instead left the nation on autopilot in the hands of bungling ministers who he describes as ‘excellent’.
“Last December the President is on record as having said the present economic mess is not his fault.”
Meanwhile, the Majority in Parliament has agreed to a plea by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to have his ministers at the Finance Ministry stay on a little longer despite pressure from the caucus.
Some members of the Majority caucus on Tuesday, October 25 demanded the removal of the sector minister, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of State at the Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, as well as their deputies for the poor management of the country’s economy.
They threatened that they will have no business to do in Parliament for the government if this demand is not met.
“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,” Asante-Akyem North Member (MP) Andy Appiah-Kubi led the over 80 MPs.
“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 Minster.”
A meeting was subsequently called later Tuesday evening by President Akufo-Addo, who appealed for some time for his embattled ministers especially as Ghana is negotiating a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the 2023 budget is also being compiled.
Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on Wednesday, in an interview with TV3‘s Roland Walker, promised to go back to the aggrieved MPs for a meeting and get back to the President.
On Wednesday, he released a statement on the outcome of the meeting with all the Majority MPs.
“After deliberations among the Majority Caucus today, Wednesday, 26th October, 2022, it was agreed to accede to the President’s plea.”
