Some governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) have called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta and Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu-Boahen forthwith.
In what is seen as an internal revolt within the governing party, the MPs served strong notice that they would boycott all government businesses in Parliament including the 2023 budget presentation and debate should the President fail to heed to their call.
“We want to serve notice 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”, they stressed.
The NPP MPs made the call yesterday when Parliament resumed after a three-month recess.
Speaking to journalists, the spokesperson for the group who is also the MP for Asante Akim North and former Deputy Minister for Railway Development, Mr. Andy Appiah-Kubi, believed the removal of the two, at the ministry of finance, will engender confidence in the market and stabilise the fast depreciation Ghanaian cedi.
According to him, recent developments within the economy, have been of troubling concern to the members of the majority caucus and their constituents.
“We are unhappy with the developments in the country. We consulted our constituents who also expressed same sentiments. We want the President to remove Ken Ofori-Atta and Chares Adu Boahen”, he reiterated.
The concerned MPs, Mr. Appiah-Kubi indicated, they have already expressed these grievances to the President through the leadership of their caucus but have not received any response.
“We are by this medium communicating our strong desire that the president change the Minister of Finance and the minister of state in the finance ministry without further delay in order to restore hope into the financial sector, and reverse the downward trend in the growth of our economy.
“The summary of our concern leads to the plea that the Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance Charles Adu Boahen should be removed from office.
“If our request is not responded to positively, we’ll not be present for the budget hearing neither would we participate in the debate”, Mr. Appiah-Kubi reiterated, praying, “We hope this prayer will be carried to the presidency”.
Minority files vote of censure
In a related development, over 80 MPs on the minority side have filed a motion of vote of censure against the Minister for Finance.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament yesterday, the Deputy Minority Whip, Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed Banda said the two sides of the house must join forces in removing the Finance Minister from office.
“As representatives of the people and as duty bearers, we must move a motion to call for the end of the Finance Minister.
“Our brothers in the Majority believe in this. What they should do is to support the call of the Minority Leader and the motion for the Minority Leader for the dismissal of the Finance Minister.”
Responding to call by the majority caucus for the dismissal of called Mr. Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen, deputy minority whip, “I see their press briefing as long overdue”.
Pressure is mounting on the Minister for Finance to quit or be sacked due to economic crisis that has seen inflation reach 37.2 percent and the cedi tagged as the worst-performing currency in 2022.
Ghana’s forex challenges have seen the Cedi trading to over GH¢15 to a dollar.
However, in a reaction to previous calls for the removal of Mr. Ofori-Atta, President Akufo-Addo said he had no basis in sacking the finance minister because he had managed the economic well until COVID-19 devastated world economies and after the Russia-Ukraine war further destabilised the global economy.
