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Tag: Ken Ofori-Atta

  • Minority frustrated efforts to raise revenue through E-levy – Finance Minister

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has partly blamed the late passage of the electronic transaction levy (E-levy) for the prevailing economic challenges.

    According to him, the delay in passing the tax policy impacted the confidence of the international community in the economy which led to loss of investors.

    Appearing before the Parliament’s Adhoc Committee on Friday, Mr Ofori-Atta said the delayed passage of the e-levy also contributed to the ensuing downgrade in Ghana’s sovereign credit rating in January 2022, “which resulted in Ghana not being able to issue its Eurobonds it traditionally does in the first quarter.”

    Mr. Ofori-Atta said the Minority frustrated the efforts to raise revenue through the levy to support the financial stability of the economy.

    “We saw the dire consequences when the House for months refused to pass the major revenue generation item introduced by this government to support the fiscal stability of the economy.

    “Sadly the Minority Leader when this government was compelled to approach the Fund (IMF) this year, triumphantly took credit for frustrating governments efforts to meet its half-year revenue,” he said.

    Ghana’s economy is currently under pressure, which has resulted in a high cost of living and what some have described as ‘galloping inflation.’

    The country’s currency is also volatile in relation to the US dollar and other major trading currencies worldwide.

    But the Finance Minister said the e-levy was borne “out of this heightened need to mobilise resources sufficient for managing the preeminent challenges of our time, physical consolidation, debt sustainability and reduce the unemployment.”

    It would be recalled that the passage of the e-levy which requires 1.5% on all electronic transfers met stiff opposition from the Minority Group in Parliament.

    It was however rolled out by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on May 1, after the E-levy Bill was passed by Parliament and subsequently assented to by President Akufo-Addo.

    Meanwhile, the Finance Minister has apologised to Ghanaians for the hardship being suffered in recent times.

    According to him, the brunt borne by the populace due to the ongoing economic turmoil is unfortunate.

    “Let me use this opportunity to say to the Ghanaian people what I believe, with courage, every Finance Minister around the world may wish to say to their people now. I am truly sorry,” he told the committee.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • Our focus has been to better the lives of Ghanaians – Ken Ofori-Atta

    The overarching goal of the president Akufo-Addo administration, according to finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has been to do all possible to improve the quality of life for the populace.

    Ofori-Atta hinted that all the administration had attempted to accomplish had been intended to improve people’s lives when he appeared before the ad hoc committee of Parliament considering the censure resolution presented against him.

    He also gave the committee his word that he would be honest in his comments in order to help them discover the truth.

    He claimed that the motion made derogatory remarks about his character and integrity and committed to work to present Ghanaians with a fair picture of the situation.

    “Hon Co-Chairs, during the course of my remarks this morning, you can expect forthrightness. The proponents’ motion of censure has accused me of many things and includes some very disparaging remarks and attacks on my person and integrity,” he said.

    “I am certain that Ghanaians will have a more balanced view of the events that led us here as I take the opportunity to speak to the matters raised,” he said.

    He said his principal reflections were to ensure that by the end of the proceedings, “the truth will have taken center stage.”

    He was hopeful that the “truth” would help dispel any unfounded doubts about his motives, competence, and character.

    He, therefore, apologized to Ghanaians for the current hardships they are experiencing.

    “Before I proceed with my detailed responses, I would like to make a personal comment to the Ghanaian people: Since the Akufo-Addo government came into office in 2017, everything we have sought to do was aimed at making the lives of the people better.

    “We have been focused on this vision to improve lives and in the first four years, our efforts were leading to a realization of the vision,” he said.

    He added, “…Let me use this opportunity to say to the Ghanaian people what I believe, with courage, every Finance Minister around the world may wish to say to his people now: I am truly sorry.”

    He continued his opening remarks by outlining the achievements of the government prior to global events that have torpedoed the development agenda.

  • National Cathedral project not Akufo-Addo’s property; it’s 100% state-owned – Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has denied allegations that he did not get authorisation to spend funds on the National Cathedral project.

    According to him, the construction of the project was 100 percent owned and funded by the state contrary to impressions that it was the project of President Nana Addo Dakwa Akufo Addo.

    He told the Adhoc Committee of Parliament hearing the censure motion to remove him, that expenditures in respect of the National Cathedral were made from the Contingency Vote under the “Other Government Obligations” vote.

    The finance minister said the spending was done from that in line with the practice before his tenure.

    “I have copies of several payments from the Contingency Vote dating back to 2015 to share,” he said.

    He said, as Finance Minister, he was fully aware of the approval procedures for use of the Contingency Fund and had not breached its requirement.

    “The National Cathedral is 100% owned by the State and is not the President’s Cathedral as described by the Proponents.

    “Indeed, the Attorney General issued an opinion on January 6, 2022, that the National Cathedral is a state-owned company limited by guarantee, under the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board,” Mr Ofori-Atta said.

    He said the policy direction and updates on the National Cathedral have been publicly presented over the years through the National Budget Statement and Economic Policy presented to Parliament.

    “In conclusion, Co-Chairs, all the payments made for the National Cathedral were lawfully done and from the Contingency Vote under the ‘Other Government Obligations’ vote and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the Proponents,” he added.

  • Cedi to depreciate further if we depend largely on imported goods – Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has said it is about time Ghanaians change their taste for foreign goods.

    According to him, the change in expenditure pattern will ease the pressure on the cedi as goods would be patronized from local manufacturers.

    He called on Ghanaians to invest in local businesses to enhance their production capacity for exports.

    Appearing before the ad hoc committee in parliament on Friday, November 18, 2022, Ken Ofori-Atta said, “It is time to have honest conversations on the patterns of expenditure as a people, our preference for imported goods which require foreign exchange that we do not earn enough of implies our cedi will continue to be under pressure.”

    “It has become clear that we cannot continue in a business usual mode, we have to significantly change our consumption patterns and support investments in local capacity for production and export,” he added.

    The cedi has in recent times depreciated against major trading currencies.

    It depreciated further in October 2022 by 9.6%.

    In a Bloomberg report, it makes the total loss of the cedi in 2022 almost 52%, the highest recorded in 22 years.

    The free fall of the cedi now places the currency at the 148 position of worst performing currencies in the world.

    Meanwhile, on the interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana, the cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 13.0991 and a selling price of 13.1123.

    Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 15.4216 and a selling price of 15.4462

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • FULL TEXT: Ken Ofori-Atta’s response to censure motion

    The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Friday, November 18, 2022, appeared before an 8-member committee ad hoc committee of Parliament hearing a vote of censure motion against him.

    The minister as part of his appearance gave a response to five out of the 7 grounds levelled against him by the minority in parliament who are the proponents of the motion.

    Mr Ken Ofori-Atta in his response flatly denied all the grounds of the motions and the allegations made against him.

    The allegations against the minister among other things include fiscal recklessness, conflict of interest and the mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy.

  • Our MPs didn’t ask tough questions at Censure hearing – NDC Lawyer

    Top National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member and Legal Practitioner, Elikplim Lorlormavor Agbemava, says he is disappointed about the quality of representation on the NDC side of the committee on the Censure hearing against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    Lawyer Agbemava, believes the NDC Membership, as constituted lacked the needed depth and acumen to ask the most potent and probing questions.

    This, he implied, has culminated in a saintly outlook for Ken Ofori-Atta and a vindication of his safely guarded repute as a man of spotless integrity.

    Venting his dissatisfaction via a Facebook post today, Lawyer Agbemava wrote, “we need to tighten the questions la”, with the last word of the statement, an exclamation in the local Ewe parlance, summing up his obvious frustration.

    His noticeable distress has been another depiction of the general sentiments shared among key members of the NDC, and the rank and file about the so called shallow disposition of the NDC panel on the committee.

    NDC supporters in general had been hitherto incredibly bubbly and cheerful on the occasioning of a bi-partisan Censure Committee.

    To them, what should have been the last straw on the already quick-sand dwindling fortunes of Ken Ofori-Atta, have churned counter-productive results and rather inched him a notch higher in his approval ratings.

    With an initial seven-point allegations plan, sliced down to five, the beginning of the end of a no-case conclusion had been made clear. Credence had been given to those who believed the minority was indeed on a fishing expedition.

    And any NDC member, who had been left with any form of hope that something dire and worthy of its weight in gold can be pushed against Ken when he took his turn at the hearing, is right to be disappointed.

    The Finance Minister aced in his responses and had once again shown that his proven standards as an astute administrator of public financing has not and cannot be compromised.

    For Lawyer Agbemava and some NDC faithful who followed the proceedings, the tide, as it stands now, flows graciously in Ken Ofori-Atta’s meticulous favour.

  • Full text: Ofori-Atta’s response to censure motion

    The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Friday, November 18, 2022, appeared before an 8-member committee ad hoc committee of Parliament hearing a vote of censure motion against him.

    The minister as part of his appearance gave a response to five out of the 7 grounds levelled against him by the minority in parliament who are the proponents of the motion.

    Mr Ken Ofori-Atta in his response flatly denied all the grounds of the motions and the allegations made against him.

    The allegations against the minister among other things include fiscal recklessness, conflict of interest and the mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • I have never misreported data to parliament – Ken Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has disputed claims by the minority that he misreported Ghana’s economic data to parliament.

    “I have never misreported data to Parliament. It is completely not true,” he said.

    This was in response to Ground Four of allegations contained in the minority’s censure motion seeking the removal of the Minister.

    “I have served the country with integrity and honesty,” he told the Ad hoc committee on Friday, insisting there has been greater accountability in the management of the public purse.

    Meanwhile, the Minister also contended that the ground of recklessness as cited in Ground Five “presupposes that I have not been guided by the laid-down regulations.”

    He continued: “I want to state that I have not been reckless in the management of the fiscal operations of the government.”

    At least 7 grounds were originally tabled as the basis for the removal of the Finance Minister in the House, but the ad hoc committee has struck out two remaining five.

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • I’ve rather protected public purse, not mismanaged economy – Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has dismissed assertions that he’s been reckless in the fiscal management of the economy.

    According to him, he has complied with laid down regulations in his role as the Finance Minister.

    The country’s economy has been hit by rising interest payments and elevated debt levels, increasing inflation and fast depreciation of the cedi.

    This has triggered calls for his resignation by both the Minority and Majority caucus in Parliament.

    But addressing the Adhoc Committee of Parliament hearing the censure motion brought against him, Mr. Ofori-Atta said his efforts despite the global pressures on the economy has been to protect the public purse.

    “Hon Co-Chairs, the ground of recklessness presupposes that I have not been guided by the laid-down regulations. I want to state that I have not been reckless in the management of the fiscal operations of the government.

    “Rather, our strenuous efforts to protect the public purse is what has helped this government to have achieved much, much more than any government over a similar period in virtually all sectors, including education, health, social welfare, policing, security in general, roads, railways, agriculture, industrialisation, tourism, digitization, and funding for anti-corruption institutions,” he explained.

    The Finance Minister also said all expenditures by his administration received parliamentary approval.

    “On all those occasions, I received approval as Parliament subsequently passed Appropriations Bills for all those budgets. Every key expenditure made has been supported by this House”.

    He also lamented about the delay in the passage of the Electronic Transaction Levy, which according to him negatively impacted on the fiscal state of the economy

    “Indeed, we all saw the dire consequences when the House, for months, refused to pass a major revenue generation item introduced by this government to support the fiscal stability of the economy”.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Economic crisis not due to mismanagement – Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has outlined and demonstrated that the Akufo-Addo government made great strides and remarkable progress in the years before COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war reversed the progress.

    He explained that at the onset of the pandemic and later the Russia-Ukraine war, the gains from over three years of fiscal rectitude were reversed because of efforts to protect lives and livelihoods.

    Addressing the Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee on the censure motion against him, Ofori-Atta pointed out that the Akufo-Addo administration inherited a bad economy but improved all the indicators.

    According to him, “it is important to note that through our leadership and commitment to turning around the economy from its state in 2016, we made great strides and remarkable progress in the years before the pandemic, and the records attest to this.”

    He added that at the close of 2016, an assessment of the economy revealed a limited fiscal space with a fiscal deficit of 6.5%; a distressed financial sector recording a 17.3% non-performing loan ratio, a derailed IMF-ECF program, and reduced economic output (GDP growth-3.4%).

    Also, inflation was 15.4% at the end of 2016; the Monetary Policy rate (interest rate) was 25.5% at the end of December 2016; Limited capital expenditure to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and ‘Dumsor’ which had decimated local industry and strongly impeded national productivity;

    Ofori-Atta said the government doubled economic growth in its first three years, and that Ghana’s growth in 2019 was touted as one of the highest globally.

    He stated that inflation came down significantly from 15.4% to 7.9% at the end of 2019 and remained in single digits till the pandemic hit in March 2020.

    “The fiscal deficit, which was about 6.5%, was brought down to under 5% by the end of 2019,” he said, adding that exchange rate depreciation was significantly reduced to under 5% in 2017 and averaged 8.7 percent between 2017 and 2019.

    He said the government reduced interest rates in line with declining inflation expectations, while the monetary policy rate declined from 25.5% at the end of December 2016 to 16% at the end of 2019.

    He also said that the average lending rate for the same period declined from 31.70% to 23.7%.

    The finance minister further noted that the government “directly spent GH¢25 billion to save the banking and SDI sectors, protecting the near collapse of the financial sector; saving close to 5,400 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect jobs, and ensuring that 4.6 million depositors were protected.”

    According to him, the government also implemented comprehensive reforms across the energy sector.

    He attributed Ghana’s successful completion and exit from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Credit Facility (ECF) bailout program in April 2019 to “good economic management” by his government.

    To ensure the irreversibility of the macroeconomic gains, he said the government has introduced a number of measures, including the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018 (Act 982) to cap the fiscal deficit at 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and ensure maintenance of a positive primary balance.

    Ofori-Atta pointed to the passage of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (LI 2378) to strengthen regulation of the Public Financial Management System, and the establishment of the two Social Partnership Programmes with Labour and Faith-Based Organisations, among others which shows strong momentum and optimism towards Ghana Beyond Aid agenda at the end of 2019.

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • ‘Let’s rise above witch-hunting, entrapment’ – Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has urged the nation to work together as a unit in finding solutions the raging economic challenges instead of fault-finding and blame-gaming.

    “Let us all work as one country to support our labour negotiations, find a solution to the impasse in parliament and rise above witch-hunting and entrapment,” Mr Ofori-Atta said on Friday, 18 November 2022 when he testified before parliament’s ad hoc committee that is investigating seven allegations against him in connection with a censure motion filed against him by the minority caucus.

    At the hearing, Mr Ofori-Atta also said he did not breach the law when he drew funds from the contingency vault to sponsor the construction of the national cathedral.

    “National cathedral is 100 per cent owned by the state and is not the president’s cathedral as described by the proponents”, he said.

    “Expenditures in respect of the national cathedral were made from the contingency vault under the other government obligations vault as has been the practice before my tenure”, Mr Ofori-Atta explained.

    “I have several copies of payments from the contingency vault dating back to 2015 to share”, he added.

    “Honourable co-chairs, as finance minister, I am fully aware of the approval procedures for use of the contingency funds and I have not breached its requirements,” he added on Friday, 18 November 2022.

     

  • I have taken no money from the Contingency fund to fund the National Cathedral – Ofori-Atta

    The National Cathedral cannot be built with money from the contingency fund, according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    He claims that he has not taken any funds out of the fund.

    On November 18, 2022, the minister testified before the ad hoc committee, saying, “I say with both humility and confidence that I have not violated the constitution in making payments to support the construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana.
    To make payments for the National Cathedral, I have not taken any money from the contingency fund.

    He stated that the usage of funds from the contingency vault is not peculiar to his government but a practice that has been in existence.

    “Expenditures in respect of the National Cathedral were made from the contingency vault under the other government obligations vault as has been the practice before my tenure.

    “I have several copies of payments from the contingency vault dating back to 2015 to share.

    “Honourable co-chairs as Finance Minister I am fully aware of the approval procedures for use of the contingency funds and I have not breached its requirements,” he added.

  • Changing Ofori-Atta won’t affect IMF negotiations 2023 timeline – Fitch Solutions

    Fitch Solutions, a leading provider of credit ratings, has maintained that Ghana will reach a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) no sooner than the first quarter of 2023.

    In its latest paper on “Division within Ghana’s Ruling Party to Weigh on Political Stability,” Fitch noted that its projected timeline remains unchanged irrespective of who leads Ghana’s negotiation with the Fund.

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is leading Ghana’s delegation, but for some Ghanaians, his presence could mar the country’s negotiation process, thus calling for his removal.

    However, for Fitch, “a change of finance minister would most likely not impact the timeline of IMF negotiations, and we would retain our view that a staff-level agreement will be reached in Q123 [quarter 1, 2023]”.

    Fitch further added that Mr Ofori-Atta “would take a more accommodating approach towards negotiations with the Fund,” although he previously remained opposed to an IMF bailout.

    The Finance Minister faces possible impeachment because the Parliamentary Minority has filed and moved a motion of censure against him.

    They argue that Mr Ofori-Atta has, among other things; made unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund, illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, misreported economic data to Parliament, and mismanaged the economy, leading to the depreciation of the Ghana cedi.

    President Akufo-Addo, on the other hand, has blocked calls urging the dismissal of the finance minister.

    He is optimistic that Mr Ofori-Atta will be able to take Ghana out of its economic woes.

    To the critics of his minister, President Akufo-Addo has entreated that Mr Ofori-Atta be allowed to conclude Ghana’s discussions with the IMF as well as present the 2023 budget statement to Parliament.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • There is no language stronger than your call for a coup in 2013 – Ablakwa to Ofori-Atta

    Member of the 8-member ad hoc committee hearing the motion of censure against Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, took exception when the minister sought to raise an objection to some words used in the grounds for the motion.

    According to Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the minister for finance had no moral authority to raise issues about the language used in the grounds supporting the motion against him.

    “The minister himself on the 12th of March 2013, is on record at the William Ofori Atta Institute for Integrity Lectures to have actually called for a coup, nothing can be stronger than that. So I don’t think we will be taking lectures on language from the minister,” the MP stated during the committee’s sitting on Friday, November 18, 2022.

    The censure motion against the minister brought by the minority group is on seven grounds which among other things levels allegations of conflict of interest, mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy, and breaching of the country’s fiscal management laws.

    However, appearing before the committee to answer to the grounds of the motion, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta raised concerns about the language used by the proponents of the censure motion.

    But according to Mr Ablakwa the finance minister by his concern “appears to want to lecture us on language”.

    Referencing a statement by the finance minister in 2013, Mr Ablakwa said Ken Ofori-Atta by saying “the country’s silence on the election petition could trigger a coup” could not raise such an objection.

    Akyem Abuakwa chiefs storm Parliament to support Ofori-Atta as he faces censure committee.

  • Motion to remove me as finance minister ‘weightless’ – Ken Ofori-Atta

    The claims brought against the Finance Minister by the Minority in Parliament to have him removed from office, according to Ken Ofori-Atta, are without merit.

    The claims made by the proponents do not have “weight for censure,” according to Ken Ofori-Atta, who also went on to refute them. He made this statement to the Adhoc Committee considering the censure petition.

    The finance minister denied the claim that economic data had been purposefully misreported to Parliament.

    “Since I became president in 2017, I have served the nation with honesty and integrity.
    The accurate reporting of public finances has significantly improved under my direction at the Ministry of Finance.

    He added that, “Today, under President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians are enjoying greater accountability and transparency in the management of the public purse than any other period under the Fourth Republic.”

    He said since 2017, the government has complied with the reporting provisions in the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921), including Budget Implementation report, Fiscal Reports, Public Debt Report, Petroleum Revenue Management Reports, ESLA report, etc.

    On the issue of not including the financial sector clean-up cost and the energy sector IPP payments in the deficit, the Finance Minister said contrary to the position of others, they were clearly stated.

    “I want to emphasize, with the Budget document as evidence, that these payments were reflected in the fiscal framework. Energy sector IPP payments were treated as “amortisation” and the non-cash financial sector clean-up payments were reflected in the “memo item” (Refer to Appendix 2A of the Fiscal Tables in the relevant Annual Budget),” the minister said.

    Meanwhile, in May 2020, Dr Albert Touna Mama, the former country representative of the IMF speaking on Joy FM’s News File Programme said there was no misrepresentation of data by the government as was being alleged.

    Dr Touna Mama said government was not the one that presented the figures that the IMF published in its statements.

    He explained that the difference in figures was as a result of a difference in the methodology of calculation, adding that the figure in fiscal deficit in their statement was a figure they generated themselves from the data government presented to them, having added financial and energy sector payments in line with their methodology, which is different from government’s methodology.

  • Even if a vote of censure motion goes through, Akufo-Addo may revoke it – Nana Akomea

    Former Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea, has said that the vote of censure filed by the minority caucus of Parliament against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta might amount to nothing even if it is passed.

    According to him, the 1992 Constitution indicates that the President of the Republic, which is now Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has the final say even if Parliament passes a vote of census against any of his appointees.

    Nana Akomea, who made these remarks during a panel discussion on Good Morning Ghana monitored by GhanaWeb, added that the vote of censure might not even pass because the minority caucus does not have the support of the majority that they need.

    “Even if you get the support of the majority on your vote of censure, what the Constitution says is very simple, it says in Clause 5 of Article 82 that where a vote of censure is passed against a minister the president may revoke (it).

    “So, this vote of censure that you’re coming to beat us, that is the way to go and that is what will succeed; even if you succeed which is not likely if you don’t get the support of the majority; but even if you succeed and you have the numbers and you do it, it will still be left with the president.

    “So, what is the rush (by the minority caucus),” he said.

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, referred a vote of censure filed by the minority caucus of Parliament for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee which started meeting on Monday, November 14, and is expected to decide on the removal of the minister within 7 days.

    The minority caucus has cited mismanagement of Ghana’s economy, conflict of interest, misrepresentation of figures on Ghana’s economy and unconstitutional withdrawal from the consolidated fund among others.

    The majority caucus, who have also indicated that they want the minister removed, have, however, stated that they will not support the vote of censure spearheaded by the minority caucus of the House because they do not agree with the reasons the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs cited.

  • Ghanaians enjoying greater accountability of public purse under Akufo-Addo government – Ofori-Atta

    Ken Ofori-Atta, the minister of finance, has refuted claims that his carelessness is to blame for the nation’s current economic problems.

    Ofori-Atta asserted that the assertion was untrue since he had adhered with all rules and regulations while acting in his capacity as finance minister.

    Instead, he claimed that the Minority’s actions in Parliament last year were what caused the havoc, mistrust, and subsequent investor withdrawals.

    He told the Ad Hoc Committee of Parliament hearing the censure motion brought against him by the Minority that, “I have not been reckless in the management of the fiscal operations of the government.”

    He was responding to a claim by the Minority in Parliament, which alleged in its censure motion against him, that his fiscal recklessness has led to the crash of the Ghana cedi.

    “Hon co-chairs, the ground of recklessness presupposes that I have not been guided by the laid-down regulations. I want to state that I have not been reckless in the management of the fiscal operations of the government.

    “Rather, our strenuous efforts to protect the public purse is what has helped this government to have achieved much, much more than any government over a similar period in virtually all sectors, including education, health, social welfare, policing, security in general, roads, railways, agriculture, industrialization, tourism, digitization, and funding for anti-corruption institutions,” he said.

    He added that every action of his was first discussed with parliament and approval granted before implementations took place.

    “On all those occasions, I received approval as Parliament subsequently passed Appropriations Bills for all those budgets. Every key expenditure made has been supported by this House.

    “Indeed, we all saw the dire consequences when the House, for months, refused to pass a major revenue generation item introduced by this government to support the fiscal stability of the economy.

    “Sadly, the Minority Leader, when this government was compelled to approach the Fund this year, triumphantly took credit for frustrating the government’s efforts to meet its half-year revenue targets,” Ofori-Atta said.

  • Funds invested in National Cathedral legitimately drawn – Ofori-Atta

    The embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, says he has not taken any money from the contingency fund for the construction of the National Cathedral contrary to what the Minority in Parliament is accusing him of.

    The Minister of Finance disclosed this while responding to accusations by the proponent of the motion of censure against him that he has taken monies from the Contingency Fund for the Construction of the National Cathedral project without approval by Parliament.

    “There is a difference between the contingency vote and contingency fund the proponents refer to. Contingent vote under Article 177 constitutes monies voted by Parliament and advance on this must be authorized by the Parliament finance committee,” he told the eight member Ad-hoc Committee hearing the Censure Motion against him.

    He said no specific allocation in the 2014 budget for were made for Ghana’s participation in the FIFA World cup in Brazil.

    “The cabinet of John Mahama in March 2014 then approved some $9.22 million dollars for that tournament in a private jet for the players.

    “The more current example is Ghana’s participation in Qatar, the Black Stars qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We after the 2022 budget was presented on the 16 November 2021 was approved by parliament. A specific amount was voted for it (Black Stars) but through the contingency vote we have been able to provide funds for the team to participate in the competition,” Mr. Ofori-Atta stated.

    He added that expenditure for the National Cathedral was from the contingent vault as has been the practice before his tenure.

    Mr. Ofori-Atta further added that he is aware of the process in getting money from the contingent fund and he will not do the contrary.

    Monies spent on National Cathedral so far below

  • Censure motion hearing: Rise above witch-hunting and entrapment – Ken Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has advised against supposed attempts to blame him for situations that he believes were not caused by him.

    The Minister insists that his deeds, since assuming the role of managing the public purse, have been diligent, adding that the ongoing economic turmoil cannot be pinned on him.

    He said this during proceedings of the Ad-hoc Committee probing the motion of censure against him.

    “Let us all work as one country to support our labour negotiations, find a solution to the impasse in Parliament and rise above witch-hunting and entrapment,” Mr Ofori-Atta said.

    The Minister told the Committee that these “are not enabling and progressive for a society seeking transformation.”

    The Minister appeared before the Committee on Friday to respond to the grounds which were presented by the Minority as justification for his removal.

    Addressing the 8-member Committee, the Minister insisted that stakeholders must rally around the country to find a lasting solution.

    He says the pain suffered by Ghanaians is acknowledged for which reason he has resolved “to serve with my all” to steer the country into economic stability.

    Source: Myjoyonline.com

  • Government banks economic recovery on YouStart

    According to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, the government is depending on the success of the YouStart program to support young entrepreneurs in getting access to finance, training, and technical skills that would allow them to launch, grow, and own their enterprises.

    The program aims to encourage young people and students between the ages of 18 and 40 who have great ideas and viable enterprises, helping them to develop, grow, and extend their companies while also generating new jobs for the economy.

    Speaking at the District Entrepreneurship component launch of the YouStart programme on Monday, November 14, 2022, Mr. Ofori-Atta said government intends to build an entrepreneurial nation through the programme by providing some of the key enablers which make entrepreneurship a success.

    These include training and capacity building, access to market, technology and procurement opportunities, business development support services, access to finance (up to GH¢500,000) and compliance and quality assurance support, the minister said.

    “In truth, we cannot turn around our economy if opportunities are centralised in the capital. Our economic restoration demands we do things differently. That will involve sharing prosperity and the chance at progress to everyone.

    “This is why the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development will work closely with all implementing partners to ensure a fair distribution of this support,” Mr. Ofori-Atta said.

    “We believe that once we continue to embrace the vision of creating an entrepreneurial society, we know we can make all individuals and their families better-off across living standards and quality of life,” he added.

    Acknowledging that “life is tough” for many people in Ghana, Mr. Ofori-Atta, who spoke through his deputy, Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah, reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring the country “comes out of this together with one of the strongest and most resourced youth demographics this nation has ever seen.

    “It will not be easy, but I need you to work with us and support us as I do same for you. But amid all these challenges, I believe that the worst thing we can do is give up on ourselves and our nation,” he added.

    YouStart District Entrepreneurship programme

    The Youstart District Entrepreneurship programme was launched to officially open the initiatives’ application portal to provide the first phase of support to potential beneficiaries.

    Through the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project, an amount has been set aside to provide skills and financing support (grants) to youths under the Youstart programme.

    Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, said the agency will be providing entrepreneurship training to 50,000 youths who have the potential to start a business; as well as support 5,000 of them with start-up grants under the District Entrepreneurship component.

    She said the portal will be open for a period of six weeks, after which eligible applicants will be invited for a readiness-screening and needs assessment; and the entrepreneurship training will be in 3 modules – basic level for a total of 5 days; intermediate level for a total of 10 days; and advanced level for a total of 15 days.

    “Applicants at the advanced level will be eligible for coaching and mentoring support to assist them finalise business plans, conduct market research, formalisation support and test their products on the market,” Mr. Yankey-Ayeh said.

    YouStart Component

    YouStart is grouped into three (3) sub-programmes, namely: YouStart District Entrepreneurship Programme targetted at Group businesses; Start-ups with founders under the age of 40; and university graduates, high school leavers, TVET – Vocational/Diploma certificate holders. Under this component, beneficiaries are entitled to loans at reduced interest rates and grants.

    The grant component will be called the Youstart Ghana Jobs and Skills Project. This will be implemented by the Ghana Enterprise Agency and National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programmme, with support from the National Youth Authority, Ghana TVET Service and NABCO.

    Under the Youstart Commercial Programme by participating Financial Institutions, financial institutions will give out loans at reduced interest rates without collateral. Targets include Medium and Small-Scale Enterprises with founders under the age of 40; or founders above the age of 40 but with, at least, 50 percent of their staff aged between 18- 40 years.

    YouStart Grace will be targetted at faith-based organisations across the country.

  • Finance minister to present budget statement on November 24

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is set to present the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government of Ghana for the year ending, in parliament, on Thursday, November 24, 2022.

    After his presentation, the House is expected to commence debate on the budget on Tuesday, November 29.

    In the business statement, the House is expected to have a well-researched and informed debate which will end on December 6.

    All committees have been advised to work expeditiously on the budget estimates for the passing of the Appropriation Bill prior to the house adjourning sine die in the fourth week of December 2022.

  • I’ve never misreported data to parliament – Ofori-Atta

    The minority’s accusations that Ghana’s finance minister intentionally misrepresented economic data to parliament have been refuted by Ken Ofori-Atta.

    “I have never provided Parliament with inaccurate data.
    It is wholly untrue,” he declared.

    This was in reaction to Ground Four of the minority’s censure resolution, which called for the Minister to be dismissed.

    He told the Ad hoc committee on Friday, “I have served the country with integrity and honesty,” saying there has been increased responsibility in the handling of the public funds.

    The minority’s accusations that Ghana’s finance minister intentionally misrepresented economic data to parliament have been refuted by Ken Ofori-Atta.

    “I have never provided Parliament with inaccurate data. It is wholly untrue,” he declared.

    This was in reaction to Ground Four of the minority’s censure resolution, which called for the Minister to be dismissed.

    He told the Ad hoc committee on Friday, “I have served the country with integrity and honesty,” saying there has been increased responsibility in the handling of the public funds.

  • I have never misreported data to Parliament – Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has described as unfortunate the Minority’s claims that he misrepresented data to Parliament.

    Appearing before a parliamentary ad-hoc committee probing the censure motion against him, he vehemently denied the accusations.

    “The issue of deliberate misreporting of data to Parliament is not just unfortunate but simply untrue. I am for that matter, the Ministry of Finance has never misreported data to Parliament as it has been alleged,” he told the committee on Friday.

    Ghanaians for some months have been calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister due to the country’s economic crisis including the fast depreciation of the cedi, high-interest rates and elevated debt levels.

    The frequent complaints coupled with some discrepancies the Minority in Parliament identified under the leadership of Mr Ofori-Atta, the NDC MPs filed a censure motion against the said Minister.

    Defending himself before the 8-member committee, the Finance Minister said the ground relating to the fiscal data misrepresentation is false.

    “They alleged that different sets of data were presented to the people of Ghana and IMF, that is untrue,” he stated.

    The dismissal of the allegation is not the only accusation he’s denied while taking the ‘witness box’.

    On the ground of the National Cathedral, Mr Ofori-Atta dispelled the claim that he illegitimately withdrew money from the Consolidated Fund without Parliamentary approval.

    He also dismissed assertions that he’s been reckless in the fiscal management of the economy.

    According to him, despite the global pressures on the economy has been to protect the public purse.

    Source: Myjoyonline.com

  • I’ve resolved to serve Ghana with my all – Finance Minister assures public

    Ghana will continue to see and receive the best from him, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has said.

    On Friday, Mr Ofori-Atta told the ad hoc committee probing the censure motion against him that upon assuming office in 2017, he pledged to give his utmost best in ensuring Ghana sees the development she deserves.

    The Minister noted that he found inspiration in the hymn titled “Land of our birth.”

    “As a child, I was taught a hymn that has guided me through out my life. Inspired by these words of the hymn, when I assumed the position of Minister of Finance, I resolved to serve the people of Ghana with my all,” he said.

    He read the first verse out to the hearing of the committee and all present.

    “Land of our birth, we pledge to thee. Our love and toil in the years to be; When we are grown and take our place. As men and women with our race.”

    According to him, that passion and commitment to see the country grow has not diminished despite the challenges Ghana is facing.

    Mr Ofori-Atta noted that despite the challenges, he has overseen some great strides in the development of Ghana and the improvements in the lives of the Ghanaian people.

    On the way forwards, he charged all Ghanaians to support the government in addressing the challenges which include high inflation, hike in prices of fuel and foodstuff.

    “Our circumstances require a united and concerted response to the crisis,” he said.

     

     

  • National Cathedral 100% owned by Ghana not Akufo-Addo – Finance Minister

    The embattled Finance Minister says the controversial National Cathedral project belongs to Ghana fully.

    Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta said the project does not belong to President Akufo-Addo as asserted in some circles.

    According to him, Ghanaians will enjoy the full benefits of the project and not the President.

    “National Cathedral is 100 percent owned by the state and is not the President’s cathedral as described by the proponents,” he said when he appeared before the Ad hoc Committee hearing the censure motion against him on Friday.

    Touching on the expenditure for the controversial project, he said he has not breached any laws in that regard.

    He disclosed that the monies that have been disbursed for use for the project were from the contingency vault.

    According to him, this practice is not new as was done by the previous Mahama-led administration.

    Mr. Ofori-Atta said he has in his possession several evidence to prove his claim.

    “Expenditures in respect of the National Cathedral were made from the contingency vault under the other government obligations vault as has been the practice before my tenure.

    “I have several copies of payments from the contingency vault dating back to 2015 to share.

    “Honourable co-chairs as Finance Minister I am fully aware of the approval procedures for use of the contingency funds and I have not breached its requirements,” he added.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • Here is what to expect from parliament next week

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is set to present the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government of Ghana for the year ending December 31, 2023, in parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022.

    Ten ministers are expected to appear before the House to answer questions from their respective sectors.

    The ministers expected to appear before the House are Minister for Energy, Interior, National Security, Health, Trade and Industry, among others.

    The Ministers for Lands and Natural Resources, Defence, and National Security will apprise the House on efforts taken by the government to address the galamsey menace.

    The Minister for the Interior will also answer questions on the current state of the investigation into the 2022 serial killing and short-term measures to address the national security threat associated with rising youth unemployment.

  • 8-member committee drops some charges against Ofori-Atta

    The 8-member committee that is investigating the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has dropped two out of the seven charges against him.

    This was after the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) which was called upon by the committee to testify on Thursday did not say that the Finance Minister authorised  payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts.

    During proceedings on Friday November 18, Co-chair of the committee Dr Dominic Ayine said “…They also did not say anything to the effect that you gave the instructions with respect to that payment. On account of the evidence adduced which kind of contradicted  the evidence that was led by the proponent of the motion, the committee has taken the view that you will not be called to deal with this matter.”

    He added “…So in essence, there are now five grounds that you will have to deal with. Those are grounds 2, that is the unconstitutional withdrawals in relation to the national cathedral, then we have ground 5, 6 and 7 to deal with.”

    📍Minority’s Grounds for Seeking Ken Ofori-Atta’s Removal #3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/vGy6pqc6VL

    — #TV3@25 (@tv3_ghana) November 15, 2022

    Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the committee on Friday November 18 to answer the charges against him.

    In his initial submission, he told the committee that “I am certain Ghanaians will have amore balance view of what has led us here.”

     

  • Our focus has been to better the lives of Ghanaians – Ofori-Atta

    The overarching goal of the president Akufo-Addo administration, according to finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has been to do all possible to improve the quality of life for the populace.

    Ofori-Atta hinted that all the administration had attempted to accomplish had been intended to improve people’s lives when he appeared before the ad hoc committee of Parliament considering the censure resolution presented against him.

    He also gave the committee his word that he would be honest in his comments in order to help them discover the truth.

    He said the motion contained disparaging remarks that attacked his integrity and vowed to help give Ghanaians a balanced view of issues.

    “Hon Co-Chairs, during the course of my remarks this morning, you can expect forthrightness. The proponents’ motion of censure has accused me of many things and includes some very disparaging remarks and attacks on my person and integrity,” he said.

    “I am certain that Ghanaians will have a more balanced view of the events that led us here as I take the opportunity to speak to the matters raised,” he said.

    He said his principal reflections were to ensure that by the end of the proceedings, “the truth will have taken center stage.”

    He was hopeful that the “truth” would help dispel any unfounded doubts about his motives, competence, and character.

    He, therefore, apologized to Ghanaians for the current hardships they are experiencing.

    “Before I proceed with my detailed responses, I would like to make a personal comment to the Ghanaian people: Since the Akufo-Addo government came into office in 2017, everything we have sought to do was aimed at making the lives of the people better.

    “We have been focused on this vision to improve lives and in the first four years, our efforts were leading to a realization of the vision,” he said.

    He added, “…Let me use this opportunity to say to the Ghanaian people what I believe, with courage, every Finance Minister around the world may wish to say to his people now: I am truly sorry.”

    He continued his opening remarks by outlining the achievements of the government prior to global events that have torpedoed the development agenda.

  • Ofori-Atta denies withdrawing from the Contingency Fund for Nat’l Cathedral

    The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has denied allegation that he withdrew funds from the Contingency Fund for the National Cathedral project.

    He told the 8-member ad hoc committee that is investigating the allegations made against him by the Minority, that it was rather funds from the Contingency Vault that were used for the project.

    The Contingency Fund and the Contingency Vault, he said, are two different thing altogether which should not be confused.

    “I did not withdraw funds from the Contingency Fund for National Cathedral,” he told the committee on Friday November 18.

    He added “The withdrawals were lawfully done from the Contingency Vault and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the proponents.”

    I have served with integrity and dignity – Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.#TV3GH pic.twitter.com/2cGwJbIcgM

    — #TV3@25 (@tv3_ghana) November 18, 2022

    The committee dropped two out of the seven charges against him.

    This was after the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) which was called upon by the committee to testify on Thursday did not say that the Finance Minister authroiused  payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts.

    During proceedings on Friday November 18, Co-chair of the committee Dr Dominic Ayine said “…They also did not say anything to the effect that you gave the instructions with respect to that payment. On account of the evidence adduced which kind of contradicted  the evidence that was led by the proponent of the motion, the committee has taken the view that you will not be called to deal with this matter.”

    He added “…So in essence, there are now five grounds that you will have to deal with. Those are grounds 2, that is the unconstitutional withdrawals in relation to the national for national cathedral, then we have ground 5, 6 and 7 to deal with.”

    Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the committee on Friday November 18 to answer the charges against him.

    In his initial submission, he told the committee that “I am certain Ghanaians will have amore balance view of what has led us here.”

  • Don’t confuse Contingency Vault with Contingency Fund – Ofori-Atta tells Minority

    The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has told proponents of the motion of censure for his removal that they should not confuse Contingency Vault with Contingency Fund with respect to funding for the National Cathedral project.

    He said funds were taken from the Contingency Vault for the cathedral and not from the Contingency Fund as is being alleged by the Minority.

    Mr Ofori-Atta said these while denying allegation that he withdrew funds from the Contingency Fund for the National Cathedral project when he appeared before the 8-member committee on Friday November 18.

    The Contingency Fund and the Contingency Vault, he said, are two different things altogether which should not be confused.

    I have served with integrity and dignity – Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.#TV3GH pic.twitter.com/2cGwJbIcgM

    — #TV3@25 (@tv3_ghana) November 18, 2022

    “I did not withdraw funds from the Contingency Fund for National Cathedral,” he told the committee on Friday November 18.

    He added “The withdrawals were lawfully done from the Contingency Vault and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the proponents.”

    The committee dropped two out of the seven charges against him.

    This was after the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) which was called upon by the committee to testify on Thursday did not say that the Finance Minister authroiused  payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts.

    During proceedings on Friday November 18, Co-chair of the committee Dr Dominic Ayine said “…They also did not say anything to the effect that you gave the instructions with respect to that payment. On account of the evidence adduced which kind of contradicted  the evidence that was led by the proponent of the motion, the committee has taken the view that you will not be called to deal with this matter.”

    He added “…So in essence, there are now five grounds that you will have to deal with. Those are grounds 2, that is the unconstitutional withdrawals in relation to the national for national cathedral, then we have ground 5, 6 and 7 to deal with.”

    Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the committee on Friday November 18 to answer the charges against him.

    In his initial submission, he told the committee that “I am certain Ghanaians will have amore balance view of what has led us here.”

     

  • I am truly sorry for current economic hardship – Ofori-Atta

    Ghanaians have received an apology from the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, for the sufferings brought on by the current global economic crisis.

    When Ofori-Atta appeared before the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee debating the Motion of Censure against him on November 18, 2022, he offered this apology.

    He acknowledged that Ghana’s citizens are experiencing hardships and that the country’s economy is having problems.

    He said he sees and feels the terrible impact of the challenges and would continue to work hard to resolve them to help mitigate the hardships for the citizens.

    “Today, I acknowledge our economy is facing difficulties and the people of Ghana are enduring hardships.

    “As the person, President Akufo-Addo has put in charge of the economy, I feel the pain personally, professionally, and in my soul. I see and feel the terrible impact of the rising prices of goods and services on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians,” he told the Committee.

    He added that he has taken note of the plight of businesses in the country as they struggle to stay in business.

    “I feel the stress of running a business. But, it is the strength and perseverance of the Ghanaian people that inspire me and my colleagues in government every morning, to press on,” Ofori-Atta said.

    The minister added that “is what gives me the strength to press on to find solutions and relief for Ghanaians to the myriad of problems that our country and the rest of the world are facing, especially, since March 2020.”

  • I feel the pain of Ghanaians personally, professionally and in my soul – Ofori-Atta

    According to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, he is personally, professionally, and spiritually affected by the suffering of Ghanaians.

    The weakening of the Ghana cedi along with skyrocketing inflation rates have severely harmed Ghana’s economy.

    Currently, the cost of living is rising as a result of rising prices for products and services.

    When the Finance Minister went before the ad hoc committee on November 18, 2022, he made the remarks during his opening remarks.

    He said, “as a person, President Akufo-Addo has put in charge of the economy, I feel the pain personally, professionally, and in my soul.”

    “Today I acknowledge the people of Ghana are enduring hardship,” he added.

    The Minority in Parliament filed a censure motion against Ken Ofori-Atta.

    They made seven allegations against the minister including frivolous spending conflict of interest, financial recklessness leading to the free fall of the Ghana Cedi, and gross mismanagement of the economy.

    An eight-member ad-hoc committee from both sides of the house was set up on November 10 by the Speaker of Parliament to probe the motion.

    On Tuesday, November 18, 2022, when the first sitting was had the Minority was represented by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and, Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, proponents of the motion.

    The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) took their turns to appear before the committee on November 17, 2022.

  • I haven’t breached the laws in monies paid for National Cathedral – Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has refuted allegations levelled against him with regards to the construction of the National Cathedral Project.

    According to the Minority in Parliament, the Finance Minister has made unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund.

    This, they say, contravenes Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, which states that no moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund except where the issue of those moneys has been authorised by “an Appropriation Act; or by a supplementary estimate approved by resolution of Parliament passed for the purpose; or by an Act of Parliament enacted under article 179 of this Constitution.”

    In response to the allegations, the Finance Minister explained that he has breached no laws.

    Explaining to the ad hoc Committee interrogating the censure motion against him on Friday, Mr Ofori-Atta said “It (the allegation) presupposes that Parliament is assuming the jurisdiction to enforce or interpret a provision of the constitution against the combined effect of Articles 21 and 131, which grants the sole and exclusive power to the Supreme Court.”

    “Nonetheless, I say with bold humility and confidence that I have not breached the constitution in making payment to support the construction of the national cathedral of Ghana,” he added.

    The sector minister also indicated that he has taken no money from the Contingency Fund to make payment for the National cathedral.

    Also, the Minority in Parliament also argue that Mr Ofori-Atta has among other things; made illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, misreported economic data to Parliament, mismanaged the economy, leading to the depreciation of the Ghana cedi.

  • Anas’ exposé: ‘Tiger Eye has no video depicting any interaction with Ofori-Atta’ – Baako

    The embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and Tiger Eye P.I. investigators did not meet in Dubai, according to Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide.

    Asaase radio, a pro-NPP media outlet, said in a report that Anas’ agents met with the Finance Minister in Dubai. They claimed that during their five-minute conversation, the minister became annoyed when the Tiger Eye team tried to ‘entrap’ him with a financial gift.

    According to the report, Tiger Eye P.I. agents pretended to be investors looking to make investments in Ghana and required a meeting with the minister to explore potential and other business-related matters.

    It further established that the investigators had earlier met with Charles Adu Boahen, Ofori-Atta’s deputy back in 2018, in a hotel suite in the United Araba Emirates, UAE, where the now dismissed Adu Boahen was given monies in lieu of helping the investors get access to among other Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.

    After their meeting, they then proceeded to meet with Ken Ofori-Atta briefly at the Dubai airport while he was on transit to Tokyo on an official assignment.

    The report said neither the minister nor his PA accepted the money gift from the Tiger Eye P.I. team.

    “Mr. Ofori-Atta was informed the meeting was with the Chairman of Al Baraka Islamic Bank of Bahrain, whose interest was to invest $500m to set up an “ethical” bank in Ghana.

    “The meeting, per our checks, lasted some five minutes. Ken Ofori-Atta left very irritated when he was offered a “gift”, which he refused to accept, and walked out with his PA who was also offered a gift that was rejected as well,” the Asaase radio report added.

    But Abdul Malik Kweku Baako in a comment to a Facebook post explained that there is no video with the Tiger Eye team which depicts the narration in the news report.

    “The last time I checked, Tiger Eye has no video depicting any interaction with Ken Ofori-Atta! None!

    “Assuming without admitting that there were attempts to “entrap” Ken Ofori-Atta, and the attempts proved unsuccessful? What would that mean? That Adu Boahen failed the “test of integrity” while Ofori-Atta succeeded? Or?” he quizzed.

    Baako, however, explained that documentaries are to tell a story and not exhibits in criminal investigations but rather the “raw footages” of the documentary are what can be used as exhibits in criminal proceedings.

    He said, any time a project of Tiger Eye P.I. has become a subject of criminal prosecutions, the Tiger Eye P.I. team submits the “raw footages” as part of their exhibits in court.

    “By the way, documentaries are not exhibits in criminal investigations and/or prosecutions. The RAW FOOTAGES are. And the latter have always been submitted to the relevant statutory authorities for the purposes of criminal investigations and prosecutions that were triggered by undercover ops by/of Tiger Eye!

    “People are entitled to ask questions of Tiger Eye and its “methodologies”. That’s fair game. No problem. Tiger Eye will continue to unearth any and all “negatives” applying its “methodologies” whether its critics like it or not!

    “For now, Tiger Eye has indicated its readiness to assist the investigation announced by the Special Prosecutor; upon the presidential referral of the conduct of Mr. Adu Boahen to the OSP! DUE PROCESS is underway. That’s where Tiger Eye’s FOCUS is!

    “Those who want to continue asking questions and criticising “methodologies” and perceived/alleged omissions of Tiger Eye, are entitled to continue! FREE SPEECH!!” Kweku Baako stressed.

  • Ofori-Atta didn’t make payments of oil revenue into offshore account – GNPC

    Ground three of the seven-point vote of censure hearing against embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta was up for hearing on Day Two (November 17) of Parliament’s ad hoc committee sitting.

    The ground read: “Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.”

    To assist the committee, witnesses were called from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC, to explain matters, especially with the deposition of oil funds into specific accounts.

    It emerged that the Finance Minister was not in any way connected to the receipt or transfer of any funds from GNPC’s Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited, JOHL, into any account.

    Co-chair of the committee put a pointed question to the GNPC witness about the role of Ken Ofori-Atta in purported illegal payments.

    “I need to understand this, in all of this, what relates to the Finance Minister in terms of the allegations made against him?” KT Hammond asked.

    The GNPC witness responded: “As far as JOHL is concerned, the Finance Minister is not responsible for the revenues… obviously, we have to at the end of the day, submit our financials and GRA, and have to pay whatever assessed tax that we have to pay.”

    “I don’t think the Finance Minister has any direct control,” Deputy Chief Executive (CEO) of the GNPC in charge of Commerce, Strategy and Business Development, Joseph Dadzie stressed.

    Asked whether any monies from oil liftings were paid into an offshore account by the co-chair of the committee, Dominic Ayine, he added: “To the extent that the question relates to the receipt of crude, yeah, it was paid into an account held at the Ghana International Bank in London.”

    He explained further that, “buyers of the crude paid directly into whichever account which you designate for them to pay.”

     

  • Censure Motion: Ofori-Atta won’t respond to alleged illegal oil cash payment – Ad-hoc C’tee

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been informed by the eight-member ad hoc Committee of Parliament on the censure resolution that he will not appear on ground three regarding the alleged illicit payment of oil income.

    This follows the testimony presented on November 17, 2022 regarding that specific ground by two organizations, namely the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.

    Both witnesses gave testimony in response to the claim that those who sought Ken Ofori-Atta’s censure had illegally transferred funds into an overseas account, thus violating Article 176 of the Constitution.

    A letter addressed to Ken Ofori-Atta, dated 17 November 2022 and signed by the clerk to the committee, Camillo Pwamang, said: “The Committee found the evidence from the two Institutions satisfactory and accordingly the Hon. Minister is not required to lead evidence in respective of the said ground”

    However, Ofori-Atta’s appearance today before the ad hoc committee will be limited to ground two (“Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral”), ground four (“Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament”) and ground five (“Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana cedi which is currently the worst performing currency in the world”).

    He’ll also face the sixth ground that cites the “Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis” as well as the last that alleges “Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship”.

  • Claims Anas targeted Ofori-Atta for entrapment in 2018 infantile nonsense – Kweku Baako

    Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-In- Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper has described as infantile nonsense assertions that investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas targeted Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for undercover investigation which failed as infantile nonsense.

    According to Asaase Radio, Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Tiger Eye PI investigators failed to ensnare Ken Ofori-Atta after meeting with him and attempting to ‘bribe’ him with a gift.

    “Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and his Tiger Eye P.I. targeted the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in 2018, as part of the exposé that was released last Monday but failed to entrap him.

    Details emerging from the premiered documentary of Anas Aremeyaw Anas titled ‘Galamsey Economy’ on 14 November 2022 at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), confirm that beyond the then Deputy Minister for Finance, Charles Adu Boahen, the main objective of the investigation was to entrap the substantive Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    This was just over a year of the New Patriotic Party taking over from the National Democratic Congress in office.

    It has also emerged that Anas Aremeyaw Anas used a civil servant at the Ministry of Finance, who was then a Senior Economics Officer, to get, first to the Deputy Minister and it was the same civil servant who introduced the private legal practitioner to the fake bankers from Al Baraka Islamic Bank, Bahrain, and later on facilitated Ken Ofori-Atta’s meeting which failed to snare the minister,” the report read in part.

    But Kweku Baako has described the assertion as infantile nonsense.

    The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is currently facing a censure motion from the minority in Parliament for mismanaging the economy. Nearly 100 Members of Parliament on the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) also want him sacked…

  • Today in History: I started Databank with a loan at Kantamanto – Ken Ofori-Atta

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta disclosed that he obtained a loan from Kantamanto to launch his Databank.

    I borrowed $25,000 to launch my business, Databank, in Kantamanto in 1990.
    You don’t open an investment bank in Kantamanto, high-skilled or not, do you?

    And it is the humility of being aware of the difficulties of entrepreneurship everywhere you go.
    You decide to leave if you fail.
    On the “Good Evening Ghana” program, Ken Ofori-Atta said, “There is a clear empathy and understanding of what it takes to be able to establish a business

    Ken Ofori-Atta says he started his investment company, Databank Financial Services Limited, with a loan of $25,000 in Kantamanto.

    According to him, that process taught him the humility of understanding where he wanted to go with his business.

    He disagreed with the assertion that at the time he started his business, he was a high-skilled labourer.

    “I started my company, Databank, in 1990 in Kantamanto and I borrowed $25,000. Whether it is high-skilled or not, you don’t start an investment bank in Kantamanto, do you?

    “And that is the humility of understanding wherever you want to go and the problems of entrepreneurship. You fail, you pick you to go. There is a clear empathy and understanding of what it takes to be able to build a business and it is not short term,” Ken Ofori-Atta told Paul Adom-Otchere on the ‘Good Evening Ghana’ show.

    The Finance Minister was defending the YouStart initiative in the 2022 ‘Agyenkwa’ budget.

    The initiative is the government’s policy aimed at creating one million jobs for the youth of this country.

    Delivering the 2022 budget statement in Parliament, Ken Ofori-Atta explained:

    “The understanding of the youth employment challenge, as well as extensive consultations with stakeholders including youth associations and educational institutions across the country, have led to the development of the YouStart initiative which proposes to use GH¢1 billion each year to catalyze an ecosystem to create 1 million jobs and in partnership with the Finance Institutions and Development Partners, raise another GH¢2 Billion Cedis.

    “In addition, our local Banks have agreed to a package that will result in increasing their SME portfolio up to GH¢5 billion over the next 3 years.

    “This, Mr. Speaker results in an unprecedented historic GH¢10 billion cedis commitment to the private sector and YouStart over the next 3 years.

    “Mr. Speaker, YouStart is a vehicle for supporting young entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, training, technical skills and mentoring to enable them to launch and operate their own businesses.

    “Mr. Speaker, the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), and partner financial institutions, will serve as the implementing arms of YouStart.

    “Entrepreneurs will be able to apply for support through a dedicated YouStart online portal.

    “NEIP will also engage our Faith-Based Organisations as partners for the delivery of essential artisanal skills, business competitions, and feasibility studies and introduction to financing institutions with a commitment of up to 10% of GOG contribution to the YouStart Programme.”

  • PLAYBACK: Ken Ofori-Atta appears before ad hoc Committee probing censure motion

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, appeared before the eight-member committee interrogating the Minority’s censure motion against him today.

    He revealed to the Committee co-chaired by MP for Bolga East, Dominic Ayine and Adansi-Asokwa legislator, Kobina Tahir Hammond why Ghana’s economic woes cannot be pinned on him.

    The Minority in Parliament argue that Mr Ofori-Atta has among other things; made unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund, illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, misreported economic data to Parliament, mismanaged the economy, leading to the depreciation of the Ghana cedi.

    The ad hoc Committee established by Speaker Alban Bagbin commenced hearing on Tuesday.

    On the said day, Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu and Ranking Member on the Finance Committee in Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, together with Lawyer for the Finance Minister, Gabby Otchere Darko appeared before the Committee.

    On Thursday, hearing resumed. Two institutions; Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) took turns to make their submissions before the Committee.

    During the meeting, the PIAC corroborated allegations by the Minority that government illegally paid $100 million in oil revenues into an offshore account.

  • Ofori-Atta faces censure motion committee today

    The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta will today, Friday, November 16, 2022, will appear before an 8-member ad hoc committee of parliament.

    The minister is the subject of a censure motion moved by the minority group in parliament who have cited various grounds for a vote of censure to be passed against him.

    Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to respond to the grounds of the motion which among other things accuses him of conflict of interest, mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy, and breaching the country’s Financial Management Act.

    The 8-member ad hoc committee was set up by the Speaker of Parliament to probe the motion by the minority and issue a report advising the plenary for action to be taken.

    Ken Ofori-Atta has been under fire with various calls being made for his removal.

  • Removal of Ofori-Atta will not affect IMF negotiations – Fitch

    Fitch Solutions has projected that in the possible event of the removal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, ongoing negotiation with the International Monetary Fund will not be affected.

    According to Fitch, this is because the next person tipped to be Ofori-Atta’s replacement, Mark Assibey-Yeboah “would take a more accommodative approach towards negotiations with the Fund.”

    Therefore, in the latest article on “Division within Ghana’s Ruling Party to Weigh on Political Stability”, Fitch said with the current state of events a change of finance minister will happen quickly and would not result in significant delays in talks with the IMF.

    It said “While Ofori-Atta remained opposed to an IMF bailout – we believe that he [Mark Assibey-Yeboah] would take a more accommodative approach towards negotiations with the Fund. As such, we believe that a change of finance minister would most likely not impact the timeline of IMF negations and we would retain our view that a staff-level agreement will be reached in Q123 [quarter 1, 2023].”

    The international research firm also projected an increase in protests and strikes due to the deteriorating living standards in the country.

    “Worsening living standards amid rising consumer prices – inflation reached 40.4% year-on-year in October 2022, the highest reading since 2001 – and tighter monetary conditions have led to a 72.7% quarter-on-quarter increase in protests and riots across in quarter 3 2022. The country has also seen large industrial action in recent months, including a three-day retail strike in Accra in October [2022],” it added.

     

  • Kufuor denies inviting 98 NPP MPs who want Ofori-Atta out for a meeting

    Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has denied reports that he invited the 98 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament who want the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta sacked, for a meeting.

    Mr Kufuor said in a statement that the reports indicating that he invited the lawmakers are not true and should be disregarded.

    “We wish to bring to the attention of the general public that there is no truth in the said publication,” the statement signed by his Senior Aide and Spokesperson Dr Kwabena Osei Adubofour, said on Thursday November 17.

    It added “The office of the former President vehemently detests the developing trend in the disinformation that mischievously seek to draw President Kufuor into issues that he has not commented on.”

    The 98 NPP Members of Parliament calling for Mr Ofori-Atta’s removal are being led by Asante-Akim North MP Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi.

    They believe that Mr Ofori-Atta should be changed for a fresh hand to manage the economy.

    The MP said they do not expect Mr Ofori-Atta to present the 2023 budget statement.

  • Ofori-Atta committee: $100m oil money not paid into PHF contrary to law – PIAC

    The Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) has maintained that an amount of $100 million of Ghana’s petroleum revenue not paid into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF) flouted the laws of Ghana.

    Appearing before the parliamentary committee probing allegations against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, Vice Chair of PIAC, Abdul Nasir Alfa Mohammed said: “We explored all the laws, in our opinion, that border around this issue, and we still came to an independent opinion, which we stand by on any day, that those revenues ought to have formed part of the petroleum revenues of Ghana and ought to have been deposited in the petroleum holding fund and not in any other account.

    “So, for us, it was contrary to the law for that money to have been deposited in any accounts, if at all.”

    The Minority in September this year revealed that the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led government had failed to to account for over $100 million of oil funds that accrued to the state for petroleum lifting in the first quarter of 2022.

    A statement by NDC MP for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Jinapor, said: “The decision by the current NPP government to transfer revenues accruing from about 944,164 bbls of crude lifting in the Jubilee and TEN fields to a company established in a safe haven (outside Ghana) without parliamentary approval, amounts to a gross violation of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815) and Public Financial Management Act (Act 921)”.

    “We have become aware that following the acquisition of a 7-per cent interest in the Occidental (Oxy) transaction in respect of the Jubilee and TEN fields by the government, ostensibly for GNPC in 2021, the Minister of Finance has clandestinely ceded the shares to an offshore company known as JOHL (a company set-up in the Cayman Islands) in a very surreptitious and opaque manner”, the statement added.

    The Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF) was established under Section 2 of the PRMA, as the designated public fund at the Bank of Ghana to receive and disburse petroleum revenue due the Republic of Ghana.

    The PHF is held offshore at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the Bank of Ghana Petroleum Holding Fund Account.

  • Bring back tolls through 2023 budget – Former tollbooth attendants demand

    Former workers of the various toll booths across the country are demanding the reintroduction of toll collections.

    They want government to make such an announcement in the 2023 Budget Statement, scheduled to be read in Parliament on November 30, 2022.

    The Transport Ministry on November 18, 2021, announced an immediate cessation of the collection of tolls.

    The action was taken after government claimed there was chaos at various tollbooths following an announcement the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta made in the 2022 budget on the cessation of such revenue collection.

    Speaking to Citi News a year after they were laid off, Secretary to the Ghana Toll Workers Union Edward Duncan said toll workers have been forced back on the streets while others face eviction from their landlords.

    “Most of my colleagues are knocking on the doors of companies, but the jobs are not there, so we hope that the Government will understand or know that they made a mistake with that policy [cancellation] and then they have to reverse it and come back.”

    “We are hoping and looking at the announcement they will make concerning toll collection. We are keen on that because it has been a year since the tolls were cancelled and there is no livelihood and there is nothing for us,” he lamented.

    Many Ghanaians condemned the cancellation and demanded its immediate reversal.

    The Minority Caucus in Parliament demanded its reinstatement but the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu praised the cancellation saying it was timely implemented to save lives and properties.

  • Anas will continue to unearth rot using undercover investigations – Kweku Baako tells critics

    Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, has defended the modus operandi his protégé, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, employs in his undercover investigations.

    According to him, Anas will continue to use the undercover methodology to unearth any and all negatives within society whether it pleases his critics or not.

    Addressing the Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye P.I. modus operandi in a Facebook comment, Kweku Baako agreed, however, that it is ok for those who do not agree with Anas and his methodologies to ask questions.

    “People are entitled to ask questions of Tiger Eye and its “methodologies”. That’s fair game. No problem. Tiger Eye will continue to unearth any and all “negatives” applying its “methodologies” whether its critics like it or not!” he wrote.

    Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ latest ‘Galamsey Economy’ exposed Charles Adu Boahen, the dismissed Minister of State at the Finance Ministry over an alleged corruption.

    Anas in a post on his Facebook timeline hours before the showing of the ‘Galamsey Economy’ film noted that the minister made some shocking revelations to his team in a hotel in UAE, when they posed as possible investors to Ghana.

    Adu Boahen among other things alleged that Bawumia will require about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.

    President Akufo-Addo, however, referred his former appointee to the OSP in the November 14 letter that announced his dismissal.

    The dismissal was on the back of allegations of corruption-related issues in Anas’ documentary.

    The OSP, subsequently, issued a statement on November 15 confirming that it had started work on the referral from the presidency.

    Kweku Baako added, “for now, Tiger Eye has indicated its readiness to assist the investigation announced by the Special Prosecutor; upon the presidential referral of the conduct of Mr. Adu Boahen to the OSP! DUE PROCESS is underway. That’s where Tiger Eye’s FOCUS is!

    “Those who want to continue asking questions and criticising “methodologies” and perceived/alleged omissions of Tiger Eye, are entitled to continue! FREE SPEECH!!”

    He also denied any meeting between the Tiger Eye P.I. team and Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister, in Dubai as it has been reported widely within some sections of the media.

    “The last time I checked, Tiger Eye has no video depicting any interaction with Ken Ofori-Atta! None! Assuming without admitting that there were attempts to “entrap” Ken Ofori-Atta, and the attempts proved unsuccessful? What would that mean? That Adu Boahen failed the “test of integrity” while Ofori-Atta succeeded? Or?

    “By the way, documentaries are not exhibits in criminal investigations and/or prosecutions. The RAW FOOTAGES are. And the latter have always been submitted to the relevant statutory authorities for the purposes of criminal investigations and prosecutions that were triggered by undercover ops by/of Tiger Eye!” Abdul Malik Kweku Baako stated.

  • Re-introduce toll collection – Dismissed workers to government

    Workers who lost their jobs as a result of the shutdown of toll booths around Ghana have demanded their reopening.

    They claim that being fired has increased their burdens in light of the current economic situation.

    The workers also claimed that despite what had been reported in the media, the government had not treated them fairly.

    The disgruntled employees claimed in a 3news story that the government’s reluctance to pay their salaries “had brought untold hardship to our members, especially in these difficult economic times…

    We thus encourage the government to resume toll collection immediately and summon those of us who lost our jobs as a result of this decision back to work so that we can live in dignity and fulfill our share of the responsibility for national progress.

    “We also wish to emphatically state that, we have not been paid off contrary to rumours flying around in government circles,” the report added.

    It would be recalled that the Ministry of Roads and Highways on November 17 2022, called for the immediate discontinuation of the collection of tolls on all public roads and bridges across the country.

    This order, according to a statement signed by the sector Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, took effect on Thursday, November 18, 2021, at 12:00 am.

    It followed the announcement by the Finance Ministry about the scrapping of tolls on all public roads in the 2022 budget presented by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    He explained that the move is to ease vehicular traffic at the toll booths.

    The move by government saw over 800 toll workers rendered jobless. These workers were however promised to be reassigned and given their due.

  • It is simple, ‘we can’t work with Ken Ofori-Atta’ – Andy Appiah-Kubi

    The leader of the anti-Ken Ofori-Atta NPP MPs claims that their decision to ensure that Ken Ofori-Atta is fired remains valid.

    In an interview with Ghana Montie on NEAT FM, Mr. Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi stated that “absolutely nothing” will change their minds.

    He said to host Akwasi Aboagye, “When he arrives to the parliament we will just walk out because we have decided that we cannot work with him [Ken Ofori-Atta].”

    If Mr. Ofori-Atta tries to read the 2023 budget, Mr. Appiah-Kubi said, the chamber will be empty.

    He said, “We’re walking out.

  • Sack Ofoti-Atta now or we boycott every government business – 98 NPP MPs

    Ninety-eight (98) members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have renewed their calls for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    If the President does not promptly fire him, they have threatened to boycott the upcoming 2023 budget presentation as well as all Finance Ministry activities.

    You might remember that on Tuesday, October 25, more than 80 MPs held a press conference to call for the dismissal of Charles Adu Boahen and Ken Ofori-Atta from their respective positions.

    As a result, he requested at a meeting with President Akufo-Addo that the Finance Minister be given permission to wrap up the IMF negotiations and deliver the 2023 budget statement.

    Charles Adu Boahen has since been sacked by President Akufo-Addo after a latest investigative piece by ace Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas implicated him.

    Majority call

    Subsequently, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu indicated that the call for the Finance Minister to be axed is from the entire Majority caucus.

    “Even though the issue started with a group of 80-plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the decision of that group. So it is no longer the cause of the 80-plus group. It is the agenda for the entire caucus,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told Journalists in Parliament.

    However, the NPP MPs seem to have changed their minds about allowing the Finance Minister to present the budget statement. They want Ken Ofori-Atta gone immediately.

    No Turning Back

    The Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, who doubles as Spokesperson for the group speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ said, “we are not only going to boycott the budget presentation, we are also not going to be part of any business done through him and that is our position now”.

    “Yes, we are not part of the vote of censure . . . we want him gone, but by using a better approach and that is what we’re doing . . . indeed we agreed to the President’s request to wait but analyzing various public statements, especially from Ofori-Atta, it shows disrespect. It gives the impression that the President has no plan to dismiss him even after the budget presentation and so we’ve changed our mind; his dismissal should be now,” he insisted.

    The Asante Akyem North MP has further assured that they won’t change their stand even if the President calls for another meeting.

    “I can assure you that our current position won’t be changed,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the Finance Minister is now facing a vote of censure from the Minority side of Parliament.

  • It is unfair we keep interjecting the flow of the sitting – Zanetor fumes

    Dr. Zanetor Agyemang Rawlings, a member of the ad hoc committee from the Minority side of parliament, has requested that members of the committee adhere to the established procedures for the committee’s meeting.

    The MP claims that KT Hammond and other members’ interruptions are preventing the proceedings from moving further.

    She stated that the custom is unjust and impedes the sitting’s natural flow.

    “Co-Chair, normally when we sit in a committee, you must actually address the chair and have permission from the chair before you speak. I think it’s unfair that we just keep interjecting. We ask questions and we don’t let the witness continue and we keep interjecting without seeking permission to have the opportunity to interrupt. We are creating too much of an issue with that,” she said during the sitting.

    The second sitting of the ad hoc committee probing the allegations in a vote of a censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has commenced today November 17, 2022.

    The 8-member ad hoc committee was made of Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.

    The Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) have appeared before the committee of Parliament.

    Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.

    However, the Finance Minister is expected to appear before the committee on November 18, 2022.

  • #SackOfori-Atta: Soon nobody will take you serious – Dr. Asah Asante to anti-Ofori-Atta NPP MPs

    Dr. Kwame Asah Asante, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, has criticised the inconsistency of the over 80 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) calling for the resignation of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to him, the MPs appear to be unsure of what they want, and their stance on Ofori-discharge Atta’s has shifted.

    Dr. Asante stated in an interview that if the MPs do not stick to their demands, Ghanaians, including their constituents, will stop taking them seriously.

    “At first, 80 NPP MPs, including my classmate Andy Appiah, were demanding that Ofori-Atta and Adu Boahen be sacked by the president and threatened to stay off government business if their demands were not heard.

    “Then just a few days later they came and said they met the president and that they have agreed to let the finance minister prepare and read the 2023 budget as well as finish the negotiations with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) before he is sacked. Then the majority leader, who was speaking in an interview with Joy (FM), said that all the majority MPs are on board with the sacking of Ofori-Atta.

    “Now the NPP MPs (anti-Ofori-Atta MPs) are now saying that they are back to their original position. My question to the NPP MPs calling for Ofori-Atta’s head, who say they are now 98, is: what exactly do they want? Because I’m starting to get confused,” he said in Twi.

    “If they are going to be cold, they should be cold, and if they want to be hot, they should be hot.” They should stop going back and forth. What they are doing now has consequences. It will get to a point where nobody, including their constituents, will listen to them,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the over 80 NPP MPs who demanded that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo relieve Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta have reaffirmed their decision.

    According to the MPs, they are not in agreement with President Akufo-Addo’s request for Ofori-Atta to read and see the 2023 budget through appropriation.

    The MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriyie, who spoke on behalf of the over 80 NPPs at Parliament on Thursday (November 10), said that they have decided that Ofori-Atta should not be the one to read the budget or lead the subsequent process.