Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a former Trade Minister, has stated that 30% is President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s best score when it comes to how he has managed the economy and how he has dealt with the corruption fight.
Speaking in an interview with Metro TV he said, the records relative to the economy and corruption are evident in international anti-graft reports and rating agencies downgrading Ghana to junk status.
“On a scale of 1-10, where ten is the highest it would be very difficult for them to go above two. They can’t go beyond two. it would be very difficult. I won’t say zero or one because they have done something.
“But it can’t go beyond two or three, unfortunately, just because of this year. Maybe, last year or before covid-19 they were 4, 5, 6 at different times,” Dr. Spio-Garbrah said.
“But the last few months especially, with the depreciation of the cedi, they are now in the 1, 2, 3 range,” he added.
According to Spio-Garbrah, the Akufo-Addo-led government has ‘failed’ with the corruption fight, especially against galamsey which has caused the distraction of water bodies across the country.
“I don’t want to make it zero but you are the journalist who has shown Ghanaians numerous videos, films, and debates about our water bodies – just to give one area of general concern,” he observed.
Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah also took a swipe at the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia questioning his economic abilities to rescue Ghanaians from the present predicament.
“They painted him [Dr. Bawumia] as the wonder kid of the NPP who can perform all kinds of magic. Lock inflation up and give it to the IGP. Locks interest rates and gives it to the IGP. He locks things up and gives them to the IGP. But when they are looking for the key they can’t find it,” he stressed.
The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ayensu Ntim, on Tuesday, 22nd November 2022, inaugurated the various Standing and Ad-hoc Committees of the party’s National Council.
The said solemn event came off at the party headquarters, Asylum Down, Accra.
Having taken the relevant oaths which were administered by the National Chairman, members of the various committees are expected, under the party constitution, other applicable laws and regulations, to assist the National Executive body in administering the party.
In his brief remarks, Chairman Stephen Ayensu Ntim congratulated the members of the committees, whom he said, were all carefully chosen by the National Council on the basis of their proven experience, competence, and expertise in the various committees they have been appointed to serve on. He thus, implored them to work assiduously to justify the confidence reposed in them by the Party.
The General Secretary of the party, Justin Kodua Frimpong, also congratulated the members of the various committees on their deserving appointments and took the opportunity to remind them of their responsibilities and the huge expectations of the Party. He noted that the committees are expected to meet regularly and present a report to the National Council as required by the party’s constitution.
Speaking on behalf of the committees, Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah, Chairman of the Research Committee, thanked the party Leadership for the confidence reposed in them. He said it was an honour for them to be chosen among the many qualified persons in the party, and therefore, gave a firm assurance that they would not disappoint the party.
The Standing Committees that were inaugurated in accordance with Article 10(3) of the Party Constitution were: the National Disciplinary Committee, Finance Committee, Organization Committee, Research Committee, and Constitutional and Legal Committee. The Ad-hoc Committees that were inaugurated included the Welfare and Communications Committees.
Find below the composition of the various committees:
NATIONAL DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
1. Hon Kwasi Amoako Atta (Chairman)
2. Dr. Gladys Norley Ashitey
3. Mabel Sarpong
4. Robert Kutin Jnr.
5. Ing. Akwasi Abeasi
6. Hon. Patrick Boamah
7. Hon. Sheila Bartels
8. Mr. Kwaku Osei Asare
FINANCE COMMITTEE
1. Mr. Abankwa Sekyere (Chairman)
2. H.E Amb. Edward Boateng
3. Dr. Charles Dwamena
4. Madam Adelaid Ahwireng
5. Nana Adwoa Dokua
6. Madam Janet Ananse
7. Mr. Ernest Akore
1. Lord Oblitey Commey (Chairman)
2. Henry Nana Boakye
3. Mr. Samuel Awuku
4. Hon. Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh
5. Hon. Ali Maiga Halidu
6. Hon. Catherine Afeku
7. Ali Suraj
RESEARCH COMMITTEE
1. Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah (Chairman)
2. Dr. Antoinette Tsibu Darko
3. Laurette Korkor Asante Otchere Esq
4. Dr. Nyame Baafi
5. Mr. Ernest Kumi
6. Mr. Matthew Kyeremeh
7. Dr. Owusu Mensah
8. Dr. Tina Abrefa
9. Amma Frimpongmaa
10. Mr. Peter Oteng Darko
11. Dr. Kingsley Agyeman
12. Mohammed Tahiru
13. Ayisha Salifu
14. Evans Nimako
15. Sharika A. Isahaku
16. Hajia Rukaya Ahmed
17. Albert Bediako
18. Nelson Owusu Ansah
COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE
1. Nana Akomea (Chairman)
2. Madam Oboshie Sai Coffie
3. Dr. Kabiru Mahama
4. Yaw Adomako Baafi
5. Kofi Ofosu Nkansah
6. Hon. Davis Opoku Ansah
7. Richard Ahiagba
8. Dennis Aboagye
9. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
10. Kwabena Sarpong
11. Hon. Ben Ayeh
12. Mr. Akwasi Afriyie
13. Hon. Titus Glover
14. Mr. Yofi Grant
15. Hon. Dr. Stephen Amoah
16. Mr. Kwabena Kwakye
17. Frances Essiam
18. Maame Afia Akoto
WELFARE COMMITTEE
1. Madam Rita Asobayire (Chairperson)
2. Dr. Charles Dwamena
3. Mr. William Yamoah
4. Madam Vida Dugbartey
5. Mr. Samuel Yeboah
6. Madam Kate Gyamfua
7. Madam Mary Porsch Oduro
8. Mr. Kwabena Frimpong
9. Bella Ofori
10. Madam Afua Gyekyewaa
The Majority in Parliament has rescinded its decision to be absent from the Chamber when Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, presents the 2023 budget and economic statement.
Mr Ofori-Atta is scheduled to present the 2023 budget tomorrow, November 24.
The Majority’s earlier position was that Mr Ofori-Atta could no longer be the face that represents the economy, thus should be replaced.
As part of measures to ensure the president accepts their request, some 98 NPP MPs threatened to boycott the budget reading.
Their actions prompted an intervention by the ruling New Patriotic Party. The leadership of the NPP on November 22 engaged the Caucus to find an amicable resolution to the impasse.
According to an NPP communique signed by the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, and the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, “the Leadership of the Parliamentary group and the Leadership of the Party counseled the Honourable Members of the Parliamentary Party to resort to the Caucus communications channels and, to the largest extent possible, work together as one Caucus unit,”
The statement also stated that the Party has resolved that the President will act on the earlier demands of the MPs after the 2023 budget has been read and appropriated.
The leadership of the Caucus has therefore entreated its members to attend to all government business in the house, particularly, the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy and all related matters.
A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Gabby Otchere-Darko has pleaded with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament to support in approving the yet-to-be delivered 2023 budget statement after its presentation.
He indicated that the the 2023 budget is crucial.
“It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures. It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed. Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana,” he tweeted.
Thursday’s 2022 budget is crucial. It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures. It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed. Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana.
Already, some aggrieved lawmakers on the side of the government threatened to boycott the presentation if Mr Ofori-Atta is the one assigned to present the document.
Member of Parliament for Asanti-Akyem North Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi earlier served notice that the aggrieved MPs won’t be in Parliament to support the budget if Mr Ofori-Atta is the one to present the document.
The MPs believe that a new face should replace the Finance Minister due to the current economic challenges.
He told journalists that “We’ve gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the Finance Minister, we’ll not participate because as far as we’re concerned we’re never going to do business with him.
“And if we’re not going to do business with him, he does not participate in any process from the Presidency to the House. We will not participate in deliberations too.”
But at a crunch meeting in Accra on Tuesday November 22, the leadership of the party and the Majority group in Parliament in a statement co-signed by Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said “In the meantime, the leadership of the Parliamentary Group and the leadership of the party counselled the Honourbale Members of Parliamentary party to respect to the caucus communications channel , and to the largest extent possible, work together as one caucus unit. .
“Leadership of the party in this regard call upon the Members of Parliament to attend to all Government Business in the House including in particular the 2023 budget statement and economic policy and all connected matters.”
The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Stephen Ntim says he is determined to lead the party to victory in the 2024 elections.
According to him, with the support of his party members, defying all odds to win the next elections is his only aim.
Mr. Ntim says it will not be in his tenure that the party will go into opposition.
“You will agree with me that, I have spent 20 years in the political wilderness before getting to where I am right now. I will not become National Chairman only to take the party back to opposition. We are committed to identifying where the previous administration left off for us. We are going to strengthen what they did and build upon their accomplishments.”
Earlier this week, the NPP officially inaugurated all the standing committees of its national council.
The move, according to the party, is in line with measures to further position the party strongly to execute its tasks in preparation ahead of the 2024 elections.
Stephen Ntim indicated that he will ensure that the committees work and deliver on their mandate.
General Secretary of the party, Justin Frimpong Koduah urged the committees to work diligently since the success of the party depends on them.
“First and foremost, your first loyalty is to the party, or matters that come before your committee should be kept at the committee level unless the party hierarchy demands that it comes out. You should be able to execute your duties without fear or favour,” he urged.
Mr. Koduah said the NPP will be the first political party to win elections three consecutive times, come 2024 elections.
“Winning the 2024 elections will be historical. We will be the first political party to have won the elections three consecutive times, and Mr. Chairman Insha Allah it’s possible. In terms of policies, no political party can compare itself to the New Patriotic Party (NPP). In spite of the challenges that we are going through as a country, certainly before the 2024 elections, things would have turned and Ghanaians will still have confidence in the NPP,” he stated.
The Majority Caucus in Parliament has mended all cracks in their front ahead of the November 24 reading of the 2023 Budget Statement by embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
A meeting between the lawmakers and leaders of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, was held on November 23 at which a number of agreements were reached.
The main points are that the Minister will be supported in presenting the budget and seeing through its appropriation as well as be allowed to see through the current phase of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, IMF.
The meeting comes on the back of a renewed call by some 98 NPP MPs who had threatened to boycott the budget presentation if Ofori-Atta appears to present it.
A statement co-signed by Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh and NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong read in part: “At a meeting this evening, the 22 of November 2022, involving the Majority Caucus, the Leadership of the Party and the Council of Elders, it has been agreed by all to refocus and recline to the earlier position requested by the President.”
The three broad areas agreed on were as follows
1. The demand be stood down until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which would feed into the 2023 Budget;
2. The presentation of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on the 24th November 2022 by the Finance Minister on behalf of the President; and
3. The subsequent presentation and passage of the Appropriation Bill
“The meeting agreed that the President would act upon the initial request of the NPP Parliamentary Caucus after the conclusion of these matters,” the statement added.
Find the full statement below:
22nd November 2022.
RESOLUTION OF IMPASSE IN THE NPP PARLIAMENTARY GROUP
Over the past two weeks, especially, after the President had engaged the Majority Caucus over calls for the ouster of the Minister of Finance as well as the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and a statement on the engagement had been issued, the country has, witnessed a heightened public/media discussion on same subject matter.
There have been occasional individual interventions some of which have not helped the resolution of the issue in contention. On the other hand, some of these interventions have contributed to escalate tensions and suspicions.
At a meeting this evening, the 22 of November 2022, involving the Majority Caucus, the Leadership of the Party and the Council of Elders, it has been agreed by all to refocus and recline to the earlier position requested by the President, to wit:
1. The demand be stood down until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which would feed into the 2023 Budget;
2. The presentation of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on the 24th November 2022 by the Finance Minister on behalf of the President; and
3. The subsequent presentation and passage of the Appropriation Bill
The meeting agreed that the President would act upon the initial request of the NPP Parliamentary Caucus after the conclusion of these matters.
In the meantime, the Leadership of the Parliamentary group and the Leadership of the Party counselled the Honourable Members of the Parliamentary Party to resort to the Caucus ‘communication channels and, to the largest extent possible, work together as one Caucus unit.
Leadership and the Party in this regard call upon the Members of Parliament to attend to all Government Businesses in the House including, in particular, the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy and all connected matters.
SIGNED
HON. ANNOH-DOMPREH, (MP) MAJORITY CHIEF WHIP, PARLIAMENT OF GHANA
JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG, GENERAL SECRETARY NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY
The national executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have stepped in to resolve the impasse between some 98 members of the Majority Caucus in Parliament and the President over the demands for the sacking of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The NPP legislators had threatened to boycott all business brought to the house by the Finance Minister, including the budget presentation expected to take place on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
In view of this, the NPP national executives, held a meeting with the Members of Parliament to ensure that, they do not carry out their threat.
A statement jointly signed by the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh and the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Koduah as resolution to the ongoing impasse, urged the majority members to put their demands on ice until negotiations for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bail-out are completed.
After the said meeting, the NPP says it has been able to get the MPs to heed to the request by the President and will attend all government business brought to the house.
Justin Kodua Frimpong has tasked members of all Standing Committees of the party to put loyalty to the New Patriotic Party, NPP, above all other considerations.
Kodua was speaking on November 22, 2022, in Accra at the official swearing-in of all Standing Committees announced by the Stephen Ntim-led National Executives team.
“For various members of the committee, as you have sworn the oath, please, you should know that first and foremost, your first loyalty is to the New Patriotic Party and issues or matters that come before your committee should be kept at the committee level unless the party decides that it should come out,” he said.
In early November, the National Council of the party appointed members and chairpersons to serve on the party’s standing and ad hoc committees.
In a press release dated November 3, the appointment by the National Council was in line with the party’s constitution.
“Pursuant to Article 10(3)(6) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Constitution, the National Council, at its meeting held on October 5, 2022, and upon further consultations with relevant stakeholders, appointed the following persons to serve on the Standing and Ad hoc Committees of the Party,” parts of the release read.
The appointed members are to serve on the party’s finance, constitution and legal committees; organisation; research; disciplinary and communication committees.
The finance committee will be chaired by Abankwa Sekyere; the constitutional and legal committee by Frank Davies; the organisation committee by Lord Oblitey Commey; the research committee by Osei Bonsu Amoah; the disciplinary committee by Kwasi Amoako-Atta and the communication committee by Nana Akomea.
The 98 MPs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have reacted to the Finance Minister’s decision to present the 2023 budget despite their demand that he should resign or be sacked.
According to the lawmakers, they would stick to their decision to boycott the budget presentation and other Finance Ministry-related business if Ken Ofori-Atta is not sacked.
Last Friday, Mr Ofori-Atta in an interview with JoyNews confirmed that he will present the 2023 budget on Thursday, despite the request by the NPP MPs.
He further stated that he had not been officially informed about the threat of the 98 NPP MPs.
Reacting to this, the MP for Asante Akim North, who is the spokesperson for the group, said the Minister’s response to their concerns is unfortunate.
Mr. Andy Appiah-Kubi further noted that the Majority Group has lost confidence in the Minister.
He added that Mr Ofori-Atta should have resigned long ago.
“I give him the benefit of decision whether or not he has heard, but we are also resolute. So if he hasn’t heard, in the course of time, he will hear. So let’s wait for him to come to the point of hearing.
“As I continue to say, we are not probing him on legalities, we are probing him on politics and currently, we’ve lost interest in him,” he explained on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday.
Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has described as ‘weird’ a question about whether he expects to be the one to present the 2023 budget statement later this week.
He told journalists in Parliament on November 18 that he expected to be the one to deliver the budget stressing that he had not been officially communicated about opposition to that move by lawmakers of his own party.
He had just finished giving evidence to the Parliamentary ad hoc committee probing a censure motion brought against him by the Minority Caucus, which committee is to present its report to the House today.
Asked about the work of the committee, he responded: “I guess it is democracy in play and we just seek fairness and we are confident in how the process will evolve.”
On whether or not he will deliver the budget, he said: “Yes, I expect so, that seems to be a weird question.”
“I don’t know, I haven’t heard that officially but we will see,” was his response when asked about the group of 98 New patriotic Party MPs who were opposed to him presenting the budget.
An economy in distress
The economy is facing major headwinds that have been characterized by galloping inflation, consistent depreciation of the cedi and general high cost of living and of doing business.
The government is hoping to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for an economic support programme aimed at shoring up the economy and easing the burden on ordinary Ghanaians.
President Akufo-Addo and his government have come under heavy scrutiny for failing to address the current economic challenges in the country.
The prices of goods and services have been continuously rising all year round, with inflation currently at over 40 per cent.
The Ghana cedi has been ranked the worst currency in the world among 148 currencies tracked by Bloomberg, overtaking Sri Lanka’s rupee, having depreciated by nearly 50 per cent so far in 2022.
Dr. Amoako Baah, a senior member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has chastised the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for his handling of the call for the resignation of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta by some members of his caucus.
According to Dr. Baah, because the NPP MPs calling for Ofori-Atta’s removal form the Majority of the party’s parliamentary caucus, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu should be the one leading the charge.
Dr. Baah, a retired political science lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNSUT), added that the majority leader cannot stand in the middle and just inform President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the demands of his members.
“…I have been saying that Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is not performing his duties as majority leader well. If you are a majority leader and your members are agitating about an issue, you must first engage them, and if what they are saying is true, you have to join them.
“So that if you lead them to the president, you will be there as part of them, not just their speaker or messenger. That is why you’re called the majority leader and not the majority messenger.
“You go to the president and you tell him that they said they don’t agree with you. Is this what you are supposed to do? Why are you their leader? Can’t they (the MPs) speak for themselves?” he said.
Dr. Baah also claimed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lost it when the majority leader informed him of some NPP MPs’ demand that Ofori-Atta be relieved of his duties, questioning whether they were aware of the role Data Bank, the finance minister’s bank, played in financing his presidential campaign.
Meanwhile, the number of NPP MPs calling for the sacking of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has increased to 98 from the initial 80.
The 80 MPs had earlier made calls for the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State for Finance, Charles Adu Boahen.
The MPs later backed down following a meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who asked that the minister be given time to conclude Ghana’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund as well as the presentation of the 2023 budget in parliament.
However, in an interview with Joy News, the 80 MPs’ spokesperson, Andy Appiah-Kubi, stated that the group is returning to their original demand for the finance minister’s removal.
According to the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, their renewed demand, with the support of 18 other members of their caucus, is because the minister’s position is now untenable.
He added that the anti-Ofori-Atta MPs will boycott the budget presentation if he is allowed to come to parliament to present the budget.
A communications team member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kafui Amegah, has condemned Mr. Otchere-Darko for his recent utterances on social media, which always trigger controversies against the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to him, the situation is affecting the image of the government, and the NPP must not look unconcerned.
He opined that Gabby is part of the reason why the president and his government have come under intense scrutiny; hence, he should refrain from commenting on internal issues within the New Patriot Party (NPP), which will trigger controversies.
“Gabby, although not part of the government but your name smells in all that is going on. You are part of the reasons why this government is being scolded,” Kafui Amegah exclusively told Kwaku Owusu Adjei (Patoo) on Adwenekasa on Accra-based Original FM 91.9.
“Every tweet from Mr. Otchere-Darko causes pain in the heart and the neck of NPP; his reckless tweets always cause controversies in the country which our opponents use against us.”
“This is a problem the government is facing, when Gabby Otchere Darko tweets, then it becomes a government position or policy. The last time I checked Gabby does not have any official position in government. We’ve made Gabby more powerful than the government and it’s affecting the image of the government, and as a political party, we must not sit down for this to happen.
He has his right to talk, but the media is doing a great disservice to the country. Gabby doesn’t hold a position in government; he’s not the Finance Minister. He’s not the Chief Advisor to the President, and yet we’ll be reporting on and discussing what he’s saying as opposed to that of the other ministers.”
He said such utterances would ruin the chances of the NPP in the 2024 elections.
Mr. Otchere-Darko, who is the nephew of President Akufo-Addo, has been viewed by many as a powerful member of the government because he appears to have a great deal of knowledge about government decisions.
A former chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah has stated it will be “suicidal” to remove Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from office “at this crucial hour.”
He, has, therefore appealed to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) demanding his removal and have indicated their readiness not to support the 2023 Budget hearing, debate, approval of the estimates and the passage of the Appropriations Bill to reconsider their posture.
He said time was of essence since the rules surrounding the budget is clear that it ought to be presented to Parliament on or before 15 November every year.
Already, one week has passed as of 21 November, and ideally, about six weeks is needed to do a thorough job on the budget consideration.
He said when it comes to the Budget reading, it is possible anybody at all can read it provided the person was a Minister of State, but the chunk of the thorough work demands that the Minister and his team must lead – debate, approval of estimates and passage of Appropriations Bill.
“It will be suicidal for the minister to be taken off at this crucial hour,” Assibey Yeboah, himself a former MP for New Juaben South said in a radio interview monitored by Graphic Online on Accra-based Oman FM on Monday (21 November).
This is not the time for that, “to what end, what will it profit us. Even if a new minister is nominated today, it will not take this short period to vet and swear that person into office. That person is likely to be sworn into office in 2023. The deputy ministers can also not perform the function of the substantive minister, Parliament can even decide not to hear a deputy minister,” Dr Assibey Yeboah added.
He said the minister will be needed at the committee level to defend the budget and therefore there is no need to create a vacuum.
He said if the budget estimates and the Appropriations Bill is not done by December 22, 2022, it will disturb the entire nation and therefore Ofori-Atta should be supported to carry this through so that when it gets to January 2023 and the President decides to remove him, it will not create any inconveniences for the country.
“As to whether Ken Ofori-Atta should be sacked or not, seriously I don’t have an opinion on that one, I leave it to the President to remove or maintain him,” he added and insisted the stance of the NPP MPs were problematic as some of them were “personalising” the issues.
For now, let us get this out of the way, he said.
Andy Kwame Appiah Kubi, spokesperson for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament from the majority caucus, demanding the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister, had reiterated their stance not to participate in the 2023 Budget hearing and passage if President Akufo-Addo insists on keeping him in office.
Appiah-Kubi, who is the NPP MP for Asante Akyem North said per their consultation, the majority of their constituents and NPP members were in agreement that, Ofori-Atta should be removed from office.
He said the members disagreed with the suggestion that it is only Ofori-Atta who can present the 2023 Budget.
“If he is not there, can’t others present the budget,” Appiah-Kubi questioned in a radio interview on Oman FM.
“We have lost confidence in him because in the 2022 Budget, he promised that with an E-levy and property rate, there will be no need to go to the IMF for support… As we speak now, that has not happened and the property rate is even yet to take off.”
“We are not convinced that it should be Ken Ofori-Atta and nobody else,” Appiah-Kubi added and insisted it is their “political decision” that Ofori-Atta must go for “the collective interest” of the NPP.
Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer hopeful, has ended his tour of the diaspora chapters of the Party reiterating his desire to rejuvenate the Party’s grassroots.
“The grassroot is the livewire of the Party and that’s my focus. I want to cure the disconnect. The Party and government belong to them and they must own and feel part of it.
“My mission is to rejuvenate our political base and inspire hope in the youth of our country,” he said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the tour.
He said the Party’s victory at the polls should be a victory for the grassroots and not a select few and said it was time for a “new dawn” where everybody was brought on board in governance for the good of the NPP and the country.
Mr Agyepong said he was working to unite the Party and use the Jehovah Witness’ soul winning strategy to canvas for vote for the NPP in the 2024 general election.
“It is time to do things right. We’ve come very far. Let’s redefine our grassroots. Let’s bring them onboard and they must be onboard during the campaign time, election time and part of governance. The time of use and dump is gone. No more should our people be abandoned at the rendezvous of victory,” he stressed.
Mr Agyepong said he was offering himself to lead the NPP to bring transformation to all sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
“For me, it is not about becoming a President, but the transformation of our dear Nation. Where we are as a country needs a new thinking, new ideas and new direction. In fact, our very understanding of party politics and public service must be looked at again,” he said.
Mr Agyepong said Ghana needed a “compassionate and selfless” leader and that he was that nation builder ready to work with the masses to provide a “new dawn” and transform the country.
Private legal practitioner, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo has described the latest documentary by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and titled “Galamsey economy” as an entrapment.
President Akufo-Addo terminated the appointment of the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry Charles Adu Boahen in connection with the investigative piece.
“After being made aware of the allegations levelled against the Minister in the exposé, “Galamsey Economy”, the President spoke to Mr. Adu Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment, and also to refer the matter to the Special Prosecutor for further investigations,” the statement of his termination said.
Reacting to the development on Asaase 99.5 Accra’s news analysis and current affairs show – The Forum – on Saturday (19 November), Addo said the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng cannot handle the case.
Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo
“Journalism isn’t about trapping people,” Addo said. “It’s not about setting people up. It’s about filming people in their natural state; that is why I sued the GJA [Ghana Journalists’ Association] for awarding him [Anas] Journalist of the Year. I’m happy that Kennedy Agyapong went out there.”
“Now there are rules, but I think we need to do more. Journalists need to do more. What I see is not journalism, it’s entrapment.
“I don’t think Kissi Agyebeng will be able to handle this thing because he was Anas’s private lawyer and his firm still represents him,” Addo said.
Misleading piece
Speaking on the same programme, the deputy general secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko described the investigative piece as misleading.
Dr Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko
“I find something wrong with the legality of the whole exposé. I think that an investigative piece professionally and legally is based on fact. Some of the things being said in the voiceover, where are they from?” she asked.
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a member of the governing NPP, has paid a glowing tribute to the late Finance Minister, Professor Kwesi Botchwey.
In a tweet, the NPP stalwart indicated the deceased NDC cadre’s leadership and commitment to the structural changes to the country’s economy in the late 80s were remarkable.
He said, Professor Botchwey’s deeds some decades ago, are still having an impact currently.
“Former finance minister Kwesi Botchwey is dead – his leadership and commitment to the structural changes to our economy in the late 80s were critical and the impact still with us today.
“May he rest in perpetual peace”, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko tweeted.
Kwesi Botchwey died at the age of 78 after a short illness at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Saturday, November 19.
As part of his political career, he served in the Rawlings’ Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) – military regime – and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – civilian regime – as the Secretary for Finance and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning respectively.
He was described as the longest-serving finance minister in Ghana’s history.
Prof Botchwey attended Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School before proceeding to the University of Ghana to pursue an LLB. He was at Yale Law School for his LLM and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School with his doctorate.
Prof. Kwesi Botchwey served as an advisor to World Bank on the 1997 World Development Report.
He had vast expertise in economic management as he was a member and Chairman of IMF‘s Group of Independent Experts who conducted the first-ever external evaluation of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility under the Fund.
Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for the late scholar, especially from his close associates and sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress.
Former finance minister Kwesi Botchwey is dead – his leadership and commitment to the structural changes to our economy in the late 80s were critical and the impact still with us todqy. May he rest in perpetual peace. https://t.co/iRYmXlUfQW
The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Richard Ahiagbah has said the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has destroyed an agenda by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to misinform the public on the Ghanaian economy.
Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the 8-member ad hoc committee to answer allegations made against him by the Minority in Parliament.
He told the committee among other things that he does not believe that the allegations carry any weight.
On the allegation of deliberate misreporting of economic data to Parliament, he said it is completely not true.
“Since I took office in 2017, I have served the country with integrity and honesty.
“Under my leadership at the Ministry of Finance, there have been significant improvements in the accurate reporting of public finances.
Vote of Censure Paper (1)
Reacting to the presentation by the Finance Minister, Mr Ahiagbah said in a tweet that “It took only 34 pages of evidence…to dismantle the grand NDC agenda to misinform Ghanaians about the state of our economy. Now let’s work together to serve the people.”
He added “The NDC reduced everything in their quest to censure KOA, to politics. Zero evidence, just politics. Sadly, it’s becoming a pattern with the NDC to reduce everything to politics. Recall the 2021 Election petition. Evidence wins.”
Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has bemoaned the actions of his colleague New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) who are calling for the head of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s Kokorokoo morning show on Friday, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Mireku Duker said that the actions and pronouncements of the anti-Ofori-Atta NPP MPs will certainly do some damage to the image of the party.
The deputy lands minister, who is also the MP for Tarkwa Nsuaem, added that some of the things being said by the 98 NPP MPs could have been addressed by the party internally.
“… when it happens that your party and your government cannot resolve issues internally but must resort to making public pronouncements it is not the best. Sometimes we have to put ourselves in other people’s shoes. If I were the president and MPs from my own party are berating me in public while I have not broken any law, I will be offended.
“That is the pain I feel. I don’t think all ministers of past governments have been 100 percent perfect. I don’t think MPs of any of these governments come together to force their president to sack their ministers. I don’t think so, it has never happened before.
“Not all NDC (National Democratic Congress) MPs were happy with Seth Terkper but they never organised to seek for his removal by the president,” he said in Twi.
Meanwhile, the number of NPP MPs calling for the sacking of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has increased to 98 from the initial 80.
The 80 MPs had earlier made calls for the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State for Finance, Charles Adu Boahen.
The MPs later backed down following a meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who asked that the minister be given time to conclude Ghana’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund as well as the presentation of the 2023 budget in parliament.
But speaking in an interview with JoyNews, the spokesperson of the 80 MPs, Andy Appiah-Kubi, has stated that the group is back to their initial demand for the removal of the finance minister.
According to the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, their renewed demand with the support of 18 other members of their caucus is because the minister’s position is now untenable.
He added that the anti-Ofori-Atta MPs will boycott the budget presentation if he is allowed to come to parliament to present the budget.
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.
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.
Two persons are in the grips of police in the North Dayi District of the Volta region for allegedly stealing food items belonging to the Sovie C.Y.O Technical and Vocational Institute.
The suspects include the storekeeper of the school Mr. Elias Tsitsiwu and Mr. Christian Mane, a taxi driver who was allegedly carting the food items away from the school’s store on Wednesday night.
The arrest of the two suspects follows several weeks of surveillance and intelligence work by some students of the school upon suspicion.
Luck, however, eluded the two suspects when some students through a dangerous but an act of bravado chased and arrested suspect Christian Mane who sped off from the school campus in an Opel Caravan with registration number GR 6243-T fully loaded with food items purportedly stolen from the school’s store.
Upon arrest, the suspect driver allegedly mentioned the school’s storekeeper, Mr. Elias Tsitsiwu as his accomplice.
The vehicle is also believed to be owned by the storekeeper.
A student who spoke to Starr News’ Faisel Abdul-Iddrisu on anonymity said, “Last night, I was going to bath when I suddenly heard the whistle and as a cadet member, I had to obey the whistle.”
“I got there and there was a car fully loaded with our kitchen food so we decided to push the car to the school then the man who stole the food -our kitchen storekeeper came begging us but we refused,” he added.
Things, however, got dramatic when the driver of the Opel Caravan attempted to speed off with the items forcing the students to jump onto the car.
“The storekeeper while begging us told us that the driver would bring the car to the headmaster’s residence claiming that the steering wheel was locked but when the driver sat in the car, he switched on the ignition and started speeding off.”
“So I and my two other friends jumped onto the car with one person finding his way into the car and attempted struggling with the driver but he pushed him onto the floor. So we started shouting while the remaining two of us cringed onto the top of the car.”
But what really looked like a blockbuster would soon come to an end as the driver had a tyre burst on a speed ramp around the Anfoega hospital.
At this point, town folks including Okada boys who heard the distress call from the two students atop the vehicle joined in the chase.
The two students chased and pulled down the driver who attempted to abandon the vehicle even before the town folks and the police came in to help drag him to the police station with the vehicle and the items.
The items allegedly stolen include bags of gari, rice, beans, and corn. Other items include tin tomatoes and 2 cartons of sardines.
The District Chief Executive for North Dayi, Edmond Kudjo Attah who is livid about the incident has called on the police to ensure that the suspects are prosecuted.
“I want to see the logical conclusion of this matter and for the police, I want to see how they will end this matter. People must answer for their wrongs.”
The DCE believes such actions, mostly undertaken by greedy, selfish persons are aimed at sabotaging the government’s efforts in addressing the recent food shortage that has hit second cycle school’s across the country.
“Things are difficult, the President admits himself, I admit same and so when out of such difficult the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is able to make funds available for us to feed our children and this is what people will do to us as a country,” Kudjo Attah laments.
“Where are we going? I have this simple question; who is killing the nation? It is you and I. This kind of attitude, we are destroying the nation and the time has come for us to stop it and that is it,” the DCE retorted.
Police in the North Dayi District have confirmed the arrest but are tight-lipped on any further details.
The two are, however, expected to be charged for stealing and duly arraigned before court after investigations.
Former Ashanti Regional Minister, John Alexander Ackon has chastised the governing New Patriotic Party over how poorly it has managed Ghana’s economy.
He is concerned about how the cost of fuel and the depreciation of the cedi has worsened the lives of Ghanaians.
Mr. Ackon said economically, Ghanaians are suffering due to the astronomic prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas and transport fares.
He added that economic indicators under this NPP government is the worst ever witnessed.
Speaking at the just ended regional Executives elections of the NDC, the former Ashanti Regional Minister described the NPP as only good at “breaking the economy but cannot break the 8.”
Mr. John Alexander Ackon observed that the hikes in transport fares for instance has slowed the pace at which people from Obuasi do business in Kumasi.
“No doubt prices of goods and services have gone up, transport fares are killing Ghanaians. Currently, traders from Obuasi to Kumasi have to pay 60 cedis on transport fares, continuous hikes in price of fuel is crippling businesses”, he observed.
According to him, the NPP government has crippled many Small and Medium-scale Enterprises.
Mr. Ackon said Agric Minister’s short term measure in dealing with hikes in food prices is “childish.”
For him, it is a clear indication government is short of ideas to address the current economic woes.
“Transporting food to the Ministry to sell is wrong, is it feeding Ghana or is Accra or Ministries, is it feeding Adabraka or is feeding Kaneshie, their ideas is gone, is finished, ” he said.
The former Ashanti Regional Minister in comparing the previous government to the current administration, said the NDC is the best.
A statesman and politician, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has expressed discontentment about the procedure that investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas uses in airing his documentaries.
His comment comes after Anas Aremeyaw Anas aired his documentary ‘Galamsey Economy,’ which featured the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen.
Mr. Adu Boahen is said to have told the undercover investigators that Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia needed $200,000 as an ‘appearance fee’ before meeting with supposed investors.
The Minister was also reported to have said that the Vice President would demand some contracts from an investor for his siblings to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.
According to the stalwart of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), he does not believe Anas Aremeyaw Anas is actually practicing investigative journalism.
“I have made it clear that I personally don’t believe Anas. I don’t believe he is an investigative journalist. An investigative journalist does his works in such a way that all the points that he got are so important to him that no one never hears about it”, he said.
Speaking to JoyNews in an exclusive interview with host Benjamin Akakpo, Mr Nyaho-Tamakloe asserted that the first most important thing that Anas should do is to release his documentary to the public.
However, Mr Nyaho-Tamakloe said Anas Aremeyaw Anas, after working on this documentary, then gives it out to the government first before airing it to the public.
“The first thing he should do is to release it to the public, in the public hall or something.
“But here we have a situation where this particular investigative journalist, when he comes out with something, makes sure it’s seen by the leaders of the country before it gets to the public.
The statesman indicated that the last investigative documentary of Anas featured the President and his vice but nothing has been done about it.
“His last investigative work, the names of the President and the Vice President came in. What has happened? We should stop the sort of thinking that the people of this country are fools”, he added.
A member of the Alan for President 2024 campaign team, Hopeson Adorye, has indicated that the Trade and Industry Minister; Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, will heed the calls to resign to pursue his ambitions of leading the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 general elections only if the economy stabilises.
According to him, Mr Kyerematen has a role to play in ensuring Ghana’s economy is brought back on track.
He said Mr Kyerematen cannot afford to put his ambition ahead of the overall interest of the party going into the next elections.
He said the party, and for that matter the government’s successes will be the vehicle Mr Kyerematen will run on as flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
He admitted there have been calls from all quarters pushing for the Minister to resign from the government to pursue his dreams of leading the party to break the eight-year political jinx.
“Even last night, I had calls from as far as the Upper East and Upper West Regions seeking answers to why Alan was still part of the government when he is supposed to be campaigning to make his ambitions of leading the party a reality,” he revealed.
“Alan Kyerematen is not resigning now because as a country we are in crisis and all hands are needed on deck,” he explained.
He was quick to add that the trade minister will humbly tender his resignation if the party opens nominations for the position of flagbearer.
Mr Adorye made the revelation in an interview with Nana Otu Darko, the sit-in host of the Ghana Yensom morning on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.
“I know many people are worried about Alan’s delays in resigning to pursue his ambitions,” he noted and added “Alan would have to campaign on the successes chalked on the economy that will be bequeathed to him by the current president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
A former chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), in the Afigya Kwabre South Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, known in political circles as (COKA), has pinpointed dishonesty, greediness and corruption’ as the core bane to Ghana’s under development.
The NPP stalwart, believes Ghana is not developing because the country has been infested with large number of dishonest and greedy individuals with high tendency of engaging in corrupt practices to serve their own parochial interest.
“I personally describe these individuals as, “Economic Demons”, their toxic nature has collapsed thousands of both private and state owned companies which had the potential of employing more youth and generating massive revenue at the same time in the country “.
Expressing his frustrations on his social media handles, on Tuesday November 15, 2022, Chairman COKA described as worrying, what he says is the increasing incidence of greed and selfishness exhibited by a large number of Ghanaians.
“When you take your time to research, you will find out that the demons in Africa are powerful than those in Europe. You travel to Europe and you will see a company which was established 80 years go and the founder is no more yet the company is thriving. In Africa, a company dies after the founder is no more all because we are always thinking about today”.
“However, those in the other part of the world think of today, tomorrow and their next generation to come. All our visions and dreams die with us all because there are people who are envious of our progress”. Plan for the future and stop selfishness”. He said in a Facebook post.
Mr Odeneho Kwaku Appiah further noted that, the slow pace of the country’s development can only be blamed on such tendency, adding that, Ghana needs what he describes as service citizens and leaders to change the course of development.
Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has expressed optimism for Ghana’s economy to rebound soonest despite the prevailing economic challenges.
Palgrave Boakye-Danquah assured Ghanaians that the Akufo-Addo-led government would leverage the economic policy initiatives to drive growth and prosperity.
The government, he indicated, had outlined a series of economic measures, including seeking the assistance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in the short term, to help repair our finances.
The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah stated, had greatly compromised the country’s economy.
He stated that “the government would revive and revitalize the country’s economy and put it back on the path of rapid growth,” Palgrave Boakye-Danquah exclusively told Kwaku Owusu Adjei (Patoo) on Adwenekasa on Accra-based Original FM 91.9.
He attributed the situation to “so many malevolent forces,” which he said have come together at the same time to cause the current economic turmoil bedeviling the country.
He mentioned that no party in Ghana has displayed the organizational skills and capacity that the NPP has.
Former Member of Parliamentfor Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amamkwah, has stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP grassroot )’s delegates (made up of youth and women) prefer Alan John Kyerematen to lead the party to the 2024 elections.
He reached this conclusion after conducting a survey.
According to the former Member of Parliament, who confirmed the conduct of an extensive survey in five selected regions, at least eight out of every ten NPP grassroots delegates polled preferred the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan John Kyerematen to lead the party to the 2024 election.
Collins Owusu discussed the details of his survey in an interview ahead of the crucial presidential primaries.
He confirmed conducting his survey in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Volta and Eastern Regions with simple random sampling chosen as the sample selection method.
According to the former Member of Parliament, the sample selected preferred named employment (improved standard of living) and a marketable candidate who could unite the party for victory in 2024 as the main motivation behind their choice of Alan.
A number of research reports have been circulated by various researchers on the possible replacement for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ahead of the 2024 main elections.
Per the NPP constitution, should the number of aspirants in the primaries exceed 5, a Super Delegates Election will take place to reduce the number to a maximum of 5.
Election experts predict that the upper-class nature of the super delegates electoral college, numbering about 1000, is being exploited by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the vice president, to his advantage, but the grassroot delegates numbering over 200,000 are rooting for Alan.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi, has bemoaned the call by Catholic Bishops for officials of his company, Akonta Mining, to be prosecuted.
The Ghana Catholic Bishops, after their plenary assembly in Donkokrom in the Eastern Region, called on the government to go after financiers of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
“We urge the relevant agencies responsible for the protection and preservation of our natural resources to ensure the prosecution of the financiers of activities that result in major crises facing the country such as illegal mining (galamsey).
“One critical example is the call for prosecution of the owners of Akonta mining Limited, among others who have been accused by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, confirmed by the Minerals Commission and reported in the media,” parts of a communique by the Catholic Bishop Conference read.
Reacting to this in an interview on Neat FM, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Wontumi said that the bishops should have called him to ask about the allegation because he (Wontumi) is a member of the Catholic Church.
He added that his outfit, Akonta Mining, is not involved in illegal small-scale mining but is rather a large-scale mining company.
“Where I don’t agree with them (the Bishops) is that I am a Catholic myself, so they could have called me to ask about the truth of the matter so that I can give them all the documents I have.
“They are men of God and so I don’t want to say anything against them … What I can say is that as it is written in Romans 8:31; If God is for you, who can be against you?
“My last quotation for them is from Isaiah 54 vs 10 (Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed),” he said in Twi.
Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader of Parliament, has stated that those who advocate for him to be the next presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are leading him into temptation.
He claimed that, while these people have good intentions, such a suggestion will only lead him into temptation.
He was responding to a suggestion made by some Ghanaians who claim to be Suame members in the United Kingdom for him (Kyei-Mensah) to run in the presidential primaries.
However, the lawmaker told Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm Frontline host Kwabena Agyapong that such a suggestion is a temptation.
The lawmaker stated, “Those who make the suggestion is leading me astray…
“What I will suggest is that we need someone who can resonate and win the NPP victory. There is only one presidential slot available, and we need a candidate who can connect with the people “.
In response to a question about whether he would accept the position of running mate, he stated, “We’re not there yet.” We’ll cross the bridge when we get there.
Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, Cassiel Ato Forsonhas accused the Majority caucus in Parliament of employing a double standard approach in dealing with the plight of Ghanaians.
Speaking to the media in Parliament on Thursday, November 10, 2022, Mr Ato Forson intimated that the NPP MPs lack the wit in opposing the interest of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In his view, the displeasure registered by some 80 NPP MPsand their call for the removal of the Finance Minister are mere antics to deceive the public.
Mr Ato Forson noted that the group failed to put their words into action after publicly calling for the sacking of Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State for Finance, Charles Adu Boahen.
He stated that the MPs crawled back into themselves after the President asked them to hold their horses until the IMF dealwas sealed.
He said, “it is clear that the NPP majority in Parliament is playing a double standard, they have chosen their party’s interest over the country’s interest. The People of Ghana really want the Finance minister to go, unfortunately, they have decided to disappoint the people of Ghana and clearly what they did the last two weeks was nothing but politics.”
Ato Forson further added that the Majority Caucus “never meant it; they were doing it to shield the vice president and the president, and they never meant it. So they know that the economic prices that we are going through obviously are not good enough, but they are clueless, and they have no solution.”
The Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam MP’s recent outburst comes on the back of a press release signed by the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong directing the Majority Caucus in Parliament not to partake in the vote of censure against Ken Ofori-Atta.
To ensure the MPs comply with the directives, Mr Frimpong directed the chief whips of the Caucus to take charge of the matter.
Nonetheless, Mr Ato Forson stated that, with or without the support of the NPP MPs, the minority group will not back down on its quest to ouster the Finance Minister from his post.
He also disclosed that the Minority Caucus will turn their guns on the President, Akufo-Addo for failing to restore the country’s economy.
The group, according to him, will start an impeachment process against Akufo-Addo
Musician Sarkodie is not going back on his word regarding his stance on certain national issues.
The award-winning artiste has been at the receiving end of criticisms that his creative expression of sentiment against political ills has reduced.
Some songs such as ‘Inflation’, ‘Masses’ and others addressed political leaders and their role in economic mismanagement.
But his latest commentary which came on Kuami Eugene’s ‘Happy Day’ song, raised eyebrows.
On that 2021 collaboration, Michael Owusu Addo as he is known outside music circles, trumpeted the benefits of the NPP government’s flagship Free Senior High School programme.
Since this line, the economy has taken a downward turn, the cost of living has skyrocketed and the Finance Ministry is currently negotiating with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout.
Some music lovers were hoping to get another epistle as characteristic of ‘The Highest’ which has never seen the light of day.
According to the 37-year-old, his conviction during ‘Happy Day’, for example, came from a need that the specific government policy had satisfied among his close relations.
Explaining his ‘Nana Toaso’ line on 3 Music, he said “I think I benefitted from Free SHS directly and I have the right to say I endorse that. This is directly.”
“My mum has these girls that she supports. At first, she calls me [about their school fees]. I’m not saying it’s much but just the fact that you’re not getting that call anymore… It came from that place and I was specific about what I was endorsing.”
He says he knew the verse would be controversial but still stands by his word and won’t apologise for it.
The musician also said that compelling him to do so may conflict with his creative process.
“You might think you’re doing a good thing trying to get me to do it, but you are actually interfering in [my] creative feel,” he said on Thursday.
He however conceded that the country was experiencing a very difficult time adding that the conditions highlighted in his previous politically-inclined songs, remain unchanged.
“The country is worse… people are really suffering,” the VGMA Artiste of the Decade concluded.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said he is determined to move the motion of vote of censure to get the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta removed from Office, on Thursday November 10.
He explained that the Minority will need the support of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament to achieve their desire to remove the Minister.
The Tamale South lawmaker said any move by the NPP lawmakers to rescind their quest to get Mr Ofori-Atta removed will hurt Ghana’s democracy by weakening the oversight role of Parliament.
Admittedly, he said, the National Democratic Congress Lawmakers do not have the required number, two thirds, to push their motion through hence, will need the support of the NPP MPs who earlier called for the sacking of Mr Ofori-Atta, to achieve that.
“I’m determined to move the motion of censure,” he said while speaking at the political dialogue series organized by Media General on Wednesday November 8.
He added “Admittedly, the Minority MPs, standing alone, may not achieve the two thirds number and so when the Majority said they will support us, it was comforting. If they chicken out, it will weaken Parliament, it will weaken oversight role of Parliament and the minister will run riot.”
He added “Anywhere in the world, Mr Ofori-Atta should have been gone by now, taking full responsibility for what has happened.”
The Speaker admitted the motion which was filed by Asawase Member of Parliament Muntaka Mubarak and dated October 24, 2022.
The opposition lawmakers believe the Finance Minister has failed in managing the economy.
In tweet, North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said ” In compliance with Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the NDC Caucus in Parliament has successfully filed a motion for his immediate removal.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu earlier said in Parliament after the Speaker’s ruling was challenged by Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin that “The Speaker has ruled, and we must show respect to the Speaker. If there are any disagreements with the ruling, they know what to do.
“Ordinarily, any civilized democracy in the world, you don’t even need a motion for the Minister of Finance to go home.
“He, upon self-appraisal of where he has led the country and economy to, in all conscience, will bow out and save the nation. So, we have brought a competent motion.”
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Director, Richard Ahiagbah, has downplayed the growing discontent with the Akufo-Addo government, which has been reflected in polls and recent protests.
Speaking on The Point of View, Mr. Ahiagbah maintained that Ghana’s economic crisis has external causes because “the whole world is not going in the right direction.”
A recent poll by Global Info Analytics has indicated that 77 percent of Ghanaians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.
This comes amid crippling inflation and fuel prices that have left many Ghanaians frustrated.
But Mr. Ahiagbah remarked that “I think polling in this environment is biased, to begin with, because people’s emotions are in a certain place, so you are going to get a predictable outcome.”
“What is really of consequence is the effort and the commitment of the government that is in power who for some reason is caught up in this global economic downturn,” he added.
But responding to Mr. Ahiagbah on the show, the organiser of the recent ‘Ku Me Preko’ protest, Martin Kpebu slammed the NPP communicator’s remarks.
Mr. Kpebu told him: “don’t ever say that in public again because the more you say people are being emotional, the more people will come at you.”
“Our savings, your money in the bank or under your bed, over 60 percent of its value is gone, and you say people are being emotional?”
Ghana’s former president, John Dramani Mahama, has charged the government to start slashing down its ballooning expenditure from the Office of the President.
In a tweet, John Mahama stated that the budget of the president’s office has ballooned exponentially in the last six years to GH¢ 3.1 billion.
“The budget for the Office of the President has ballooned, over the last six years, from GH¢700m to GH¢ 3.1bn in 2022,” he tweeted.
The former president further advised the government to start cutting down the expenditure of the president’s office, as it could save the country a substantial amount of money.
“For expenditure rationalization to be successful, it must first start in the President’s office. Substantial savings of GH¢1bn can be made by slashing the budget,” he added.
The government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been faced with a lot of economic challenges in the last year, with inflation figures skyrocketing.
Fuel prices and the rate of exchange of the Ghana cedis to the US dollar have also been extremely high in recent months, plunging a lot of businesses into disarray.
See John Mahama’s tweet below:
The budget for the Office of the President has ballooned, over the last six years, from GH¢700m to GH¢ 3.1bn in 2022. For expenditure rationalization to be successful, it must first start in the President’s office. Substantial savings of GH¢1bn can be made by slashing the budget.
National Executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has engaged Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of state institutions in the renewed efforts to bridge the gap between government appointees and the party.
Dubbed ‘Time with the CEOs, the event offered the national executives the opportunity to interact with the CEOs and present expected future challenges and how to address them as the party gears for the 2024 elections.
Addressing the CEOs in his welcome address in Accra, the National Treasurer, Charles Dwamena aka Dr. China asserted that empirical evidence from recent general elections indicate the NPP is the party in majority in Ghana.
Explaining his assertion, Dr. China noted that in 2008 the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the election with less than 51% of the votes.
He stressed that in 2012, the NDC again won the elections but with less than 51% of the vote.
He said, “In 2016, the NPP won but with more than 51% and in 2022, the NPP won again with more than 51%.”
“This tells the story that the NPP as a party is in the majority.”
Dr. China argued if indeed that is the case, going into the 2024 elections, no matter the turbulence being experienced in the NPP currently, the party can still win the elections if it is put in the right shape.
He said, “If we are able to reach out to our party members and make sure that we are united and present a common front, we will be able to go beyond 2024 and break the eight.”
“And that starts today with your ideas; and that starts today with the experiences that we will be sharing together so that the team of national executives will be supported in whatever we will embark upon.”
“Together we will be able to break the eight,” he added.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia Saturday received a rousing welcome at the Hogbetsotso Festival of the Anlo State in the Volta Region.
The enthusiastic crowd chanted New Patriotic Party (NPP) songs to welcome the Vice President and his entourage to the 2022 festival, which marks the 60th anniversary of the Hogbetsotsoza.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “60 years of Anlo Hogbetsotso Za: Uniting for development, sustaining our unique cultural commonwealth for future generations”.
Also present at the festival were the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and the Ga King, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II.
Other chiefs and personalities from the Volta Region and diasporans also graced the historic ceremony.
The Vice President called for togetherness for rapid socio-economic development.
Hogbetsotso is celebrated in November at Anloga, which is the traditional and ritual capital of the Anlo State.
The Festival unfolds Ewe history and brings to play the memories of legendary exodus and heroic acts of men of boldness and their mystical powers that liberated the Ewe-Dogbo people from the rule of tyrant King of Kings-Torgbui Agokorli of Nortsie in Togo.
Hence, Hogbetsotso is derived from the word ‘Hogbe’ or ‘Hohogbe’-the day of exodus – the moment in time when the Ewes in the Dogbo quarter of the walled city of Nortsie in Togo, escaped from the tyrannical ruler Agorkorli by walking backwards.
In order to commemorate the exodus and the bravery of their traditional rulers who led them on the journey, the people commemorate the annual festival of the Exodus – “Hogbetsotsoza”.
Thirty-six states from the Anlo Traditional Area are participating in this year’s celebration.
National Youth Organiser of governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Salam Mustapha says the widespread disaffection by Ghanaians against government in the wake of heightened economic difficulties is evidence that Ghanaians hold the governing party to high standard as compared to the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC).
Following recent unprecedented hikes in prices of fuel, transportation, food and general cost of living, Ghanaians have expressed displeasure and angst at government as political watchers say the prevailing economic conundrum narrows the chances of the NPP to win the next election.
There have been reports of booing at both the President and Vice President at public functions as a demonstration of disapproval of the management of the economy.
But reacting to the recent booing incidents and general expression of frustration and displeasure amongst Ghanaians, the National Youth Organiser of the ruling party said Ghanaians hold the NPP in high esteem and expect more of the party as compared to the opposition NDC, a reason there is widespread uproar amidst the current economic challenges.
Speaking in an interview on A1 Radio in Bolgatanga monitored by MyNewsGh.com, he argued that Ghana’s economy was growing significantly until the recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia and post-COVID-19 challenges.
“It [booing] gives me a different impression. I think the Ghanaian people have higher expectations of the NPP. They believe that we are more capable and they hold us higher than the NDC. If they [Ghanaians] feel that we are letting them down of a sort, it is natural to protest,” he said.
He described the acts of booing at government officials by some citizens as politically contrived acts perpetrated by elements of the opposition National Democratic Congress.
The Nation Council of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has appointed members and chairpersons to serve on the party’s standing and ad hoc committees.
In a press release dated November 3, the appointment by the National Council was in line with the party’s constitution.
“Pursuant to Article 10(3)(6) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Constitution, the National Council, at its meeting held on October 5, 2022, and upon further consultations with relevant stakeholders, appointed the following persons to serve on the Standing and Ad hoc Committees of the Party,” parts of the release read.
The appointed members are to serve on the party’s finance, constitution and legal committees; organisation; research; disciplinary and communication committees.
The finance committee will be chaired by Abankwa Sekyere; the constitutional and legal committee by Frank Davies; the organisation committee by Lord Oblitey Commey; the research committee by Osei Bonsu Amoah; the disciplinary committee by Kwasi Amoako-Atta and the communication committee by Nana Akomea.
Police in Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North district of the Ashanti region has arrested Tepa-Danyame New Patriotic Party(NPP) Polling station Chairman for murder.
Kwaku Seidu alias Kukrudu believed to be in his 50s shot his wife over a disputed family land he attempted to sell to settle his debt and provide money for the family upkeep a week ago.
Kwaku Siedu’s two wives, upon hearing their husband’s decision, reported him to the Danyame Zongo Chief Nana Mazua.
Provoked by the action taken by his wives, the NPP chairman pulled a short gun in front of the Zongo Chief in his Palace and shot one of his wives identified as Sister Adwoa dead right in front of his family members while settling the misunderstanding between them.
Frederick Nyamekye, assembly member for the Danyame electoral area said angry community members provoked by the NPP Chairman’s action, almost lynched him. He was, however, saved by the timely intervention of the police from the Tepa district command.
He is currently under arrest and admitted at the Tepa government hospital for treatment under police surveillance following the assault.
The lifeless body of the deceased mother of three is deposited at the hospital’s morgue for preservation.
An attempt by unknown people to crucify the Ghana National Gas Company Limited CEO Dr. Ben K. D. Asante has started to fall flat as the internal wrangling within the New Patriotic Party in the Western Region heightens.
Plot
The faceless group, according to sources familiar with this development contracted some New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth to lead a demonstration against Dr. Asante, accusing him of failing to give them jobs at the state agency.
The party members, some of whom were wielding placards nearly marred the celebration of the Kundum Festival at Atoabo on Sunday (October 30) as they attempted to express their grievances over internal matters within the Ellembelle Constituency, the source said.
What appeared more worrying, the source said was the grave disrespect these youth showed to Awulae Amihere Kpayinli II, the paramount chief of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Area, Hon Kennedy Agyapong, the Board Chairman of Ghana Gas, Hon Freddy Blay, Board Chairman of GNPC, Hon Catherine Afeku, MMDCEs, and at the climax of the most revered festival in Nzemaland.
Intervention
But it appears that the plot backfired as the intervention of the rank and file of the party at the time avoided what had been described as a very embarrassing situation. The conduct by the youth group has since been condemned.
“Although the incident was unfortunate, the few party members were trying to make a point concerning continuous discrimination against them based on internal party differences by some officers of Ghana National Gas Company Limited whose responsibility is to ensure access to job opportunities by qualified persons without any discrimination”, a statement released by the NPP in the Ellembelle Constituency read.
“We wish to assure the aggrieved persons that their issues have been discussed with the Board Chair and CEO of the Company and are being addressed accordingly. The Party in Ellembelle Constituency is therefore calling on aggrieved members to stop calling for the removal of the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company Limited with immediate effect since he cannot be blamed for rather the party officers within ellembele who are equally officers of the Ghana National Gas Company in the Western Region.”
Apology
“By this release, we are rendering an unqualified apology to the CEO of Ghana National Gas Company Limited, Dr. Ben Asante, who has contributed to the development of the Ellembele District since taking office in 2017 for the attempt by the aggrieved persons to drag his name into disrepute.
We also wish to use this medium to apologize to Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III, the Paramount Chief of Eastern Nzema Traditional Area as well as the District Chief Executive for Ellembelle, Hon. Kwasi Bonzoh for disregarding his intervention to stop the unfortunate incident. It is our strongest conviction that the Party will overcome the challenges and even emerge stronger to capture the Ellembelle Constituency Parliamentary seat for the New Patriotic in the 2024 General Election”, the statement concluded.
President Akufo-Addo and his government do not respect public opinion, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu has observed citing recent pronouncements by the president.
Iddrisu stated in an interview on Joy FM, on October 31, 2022, that it was unacceptable that a president who is on record to have pleaded with voters to try him will turn out to be disrespectful of public opinion.
His comment was in respect of Akufo-Addo’s retort earlier his month that he was not moved by threats of some people to vote against the New Patriotic Party, NPP.
“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s biggest headache is, he is just disrespecting public opinion and he does so at his own peril. This is the first time I am seeing a government just simply not respect public opinion…
“He has forgotten that he used to beg, that vote for me, try me. They’ve voted for you, they’ve tried you now you are saying that you are not going to hold people’s hand into a ballot room?” Haruna Iddrisu asked rhetorically.
What exactly did Akufo-Addo say?
The president was answering a question by an OTEC FM journalist over threats by people of the two areas to vote against the NPP. “No problem, no problem,” Akufo-Addo is heard saying.
He continued: “I am saying people make those kinds of threats, me, they don’t frighten me. Somebody votes for you, somebody supports you, it is because they want you to do things for them, so I understand that.
“There is no need for people to say if I do not do it, this or that. That is your own problem. Of course, I will fulfil my promises.
“But if it so happens that you decide to vote for the NDC, that is your problem, that is not mine. Nobody will hold your hand to thumbprint for any candidate, the most important thing is that I understand the responsibility and we will deal with it,” he stressed.
Former President John Mahama’s spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, described the New Patriotic Party as stubborn after its members’ criticism of Mr. John Mahama’s speech on the economy.
Though some NPP members who commented on Mr. Mahama’s speech described it as hypocritical and in bad faith, among others, Mr. Ofosu said the NPP needed to show humility given the current economic crisis.
“It is a bit disappointing that they remain obstinate and have not shown any inclination towards addressing the problems we face.”
“Any objective-minded Ghanaian who listened to the former President on Thursday would admit that he spoke to the issues in a manner that they should be spoken to.”
Among other things, Mr. Mahamaurged the President to cut down on the size of Presidential staffers, reduce the number of ministers to 65, jettison the Finance Minister and stop funding the national cathedral project.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu added that the NPP was certain to lose the next election because of its manner of governance.
“I am certain that if they do not listen to the wise prescription as put out by President Mahama, it is only a matter of time before the people boot them out at the earliest opportunity and then they will learn in humility in opposition”.
The Minority in Parliament is demanding the appearance of the National Identification Authority(NIA) and the Electoral Commission before the House to clarify concerns with the current data of Ghanaians under their control.
The Minority says this is a result of plans by the EC to rely on the Ghana Card from the NIA for the 2024 General Elections.
Speaking on the Floor of Parliament, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, says statistics from the NIA must reconcile with that of the EC before any such a move could be undertaken.
“Let us see the discrepancy and variance in your numbers because we will not accept any attempt by the Electoral Commission to disenfranchise any Ghanaian because they want to rely on an ID card which is not available to Ghanaians.”
The Minority Leader also called on the house to constitute an ad hoc committee to oversee the implementation of recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee on the Auditor General’s Report.
“Parliament must help the public purse in getting this committee constituted,” Mr. Iddrisu said.
He added that there had been meetings with the Majority Leader, and they agreed that “probably we should get a retired jurist or a retired member of Parliament with good standing on account.”
In his response, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, said there is an existing committee to the effect and the Public Accounts Committee must present a report on their work for consideration by the house.
The Speaker further said he has not received any briefing from the EC on its plans to use the data of the NIA for the elections.
He noted until such is done, the EC “should forget about laying any such instrument in the House.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Protection Agency, Kofi Owusu Hene, a.k.a. Kofi Kapito, has bemoaned the current state of his party, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Speaking in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Kofi Kapito accused the party’s leadership and council of elders of looking on unabated as some members, including President Akufo-Addo and his appointees, destroy the image of the party through their actions.
He also bemoaned the failure of the NPP government to address the challenges Ghanaians are facing and the recent utterances of the president against persons who have been criticising his government.
“… today, [the] president is telling his critics that he is unconcerned whether people vote for the NPP or not. I think he was not feeling well that day and so I will forgive him.
“But what I am trying to say is that when it comes to the party (NPP), as they have been saying in their hometown that they will [not] sit for Okyeman to be destroyed, I, Kofi Kapito, will not sit aloof for the NPP to be destroyed,” he said in Twi.
He went on to commend the NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) who demanded that President Akufo-Addo sacks the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, for his poor management of the economy.
“God bless Eugene Antwi Antwi. God bless Patrick Boamah. Andy Appiah-Kubi, all of them, have done well for their courage to take this step,” he added.
The Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano North on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sulemana Adamu Sanid, has dragged the ruling of the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to the Supreme Court.
The MP is seeking the apex court’s interpretation of the ruling of the Speaker on the matter of absenteeism by his three colleagues.
The three MPs are Sarah Adwoa Safo, Kennedy Agyapong, and Henry Quartey of the Dome Kwabenya, Assin Central, and Ayawaso Central constituencies, respectively.
According to a report by graphic.com.gh, the Ahafo Ano North MP, Sulemana Adamu Sanid, is seeking the Supreme Court’s interpretation on the matter because he disagrees with the verdict of the Speaker of Parliament.
The report added that the NPP MP said he wants “the Supreme Court to clarify the operationalisation of Article 97 (1) (c) to be sure if the ruling by the Speaker of Parliament was in consonance with the 1992 Constitution.”
Andy Kwame Appiah-Appiah, who is counsel for the MP, said his client believes that a determination has already been made by the Court of Appeal, being the precedence as was in the case of Kwaku Asare [Kwaku Azar] vs. Attorney General.
He is said to have said that in such an instance, as has been determined to have been the case of the three absentee MPs, an “automatic vacation of the seat” should apply and that the only job for the Committee of Privileges in Parliament is for the affected MP(s) to explain why they were absent.
He added that the only work, in this matter, that the Privileges Committee – which looked into the absenteeism of the MPs -, had to play was to look at the “reasonableness or otherwise of the explanation without more,” as mandated by the 1992 constitution.
In his ruling on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, Alban Bagbin concluded his 18-page report by stating that parliament should receive the report of the committee and have its contents debated upon.
This was however not pleasant news to the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who immediately got up to challenge the Speaker of Parliament, describing his ruling as “unfortunate.”
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has said the cedi appreciation is due to the calls for the removal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to him, since the minority filed a motion to have Ken Ofori-Atta removed, Ghanaians have regained confidence that action has been taken to curb the economic crisis.
“Because of this motion, you know what has happened to the state of our Cedi. Just because people are given confidence that action is being taken, the Cedi gained some value, and parliament should be commended. It climbed from about 16 to a dollar to around 13, which is a serious gain for this country, and it’s because there is some confidence being given to the people that action is being taken to rectify the wrongs. Please let’s play our role properly and effectively, and at the end of the day, we’ll all benefit,” he told MPs on Thursday.
On October 27, the speaker of parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin admitted the minority’s Censure Motion filed against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
This comes after Members of Parliament on the Minority side signed their signatories to a motion for a vote of censure on Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, filed on Monday.
The Minority cites the overall mismanagement of the economy and ethical concerns, among others.
The motion was filed a day before Parliament resumed recess.
The admission of the motion is contained in the Order Paper of Parliament, issued on Thursday, October 27, 2022.
The House is expected to organize “a secret vote” to censure the Minister. This is scheduled for November 10, 2022.
The Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, one of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs demanding the dismissal of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has said that had it not been for the Coronavirus and the Russia-Ukraine war, the minister would have been one of the most glorified ministers in the sub-region.
In the view of the MP, who is the Chairman of the Health Committee of Parliament, Ken Ofori-Atta has performed wonderfully, insisting that the growth of the economy and the direction of the economy was on the right trajectory before the global disasters.
He, however, said that in spite of the wonderful work the finance minister has done on the economy, Ghanaians are going through difficult times, the reason for which there is a push for his dismissal.
Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye also likened Ghanaians to the Israelites of the biblical times, when they rejected God any time they went through difficulties.
He added that although the MPs acknowledge Ken Ofori-Atta’s sterling performance, they are only acting upon the instruction of their constituents.
“We represent the people and we must act upon their demand. But for COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine War, I am sure Ken would have been one of the most glorified ministers in Africa because the growth of the economy and the direction of the economy was on the right trajectory.
“Working with people is difficult because when things are going well, they won’t complain, but the moment things get difficult, they forget all the good works you have done for them. It’s just like how ungrateful the Israelites were to God in spite of all the things God did for them. In difficult times, they rejected God even to the extent of worshiping idols.
“So, the only way to satisfy our constituents is to act upon their demand of getting Ken Ofori-Atta sacked. They won’t listen to anything you tell them,” he told the Morning show host of Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Kwesi Parker-Wilson, in an interview.
He also added that if there are signs of economic recovery, they (the MPs) will abandon the call for the dismissal of the finance minister.
“Yes, we acceded to the president’s appeal so if after the 3 weeks, the economy is doing well, and everyone is talking about it we won’t push through with demand for his dismissal,” he added.
The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has taken a swipe at members of the majority caucus of Parliament after more than two-thirds of them reportedly demanded that President Akufo-Addo sacks his finance minister over the hardship in the country.
According to him, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) have time and again argued that the current hardship Ghanaians are facing is a result of external factors, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic and not poor economic management.
He, therefore, questioned why the NPP MPs are now calling for the sack of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, whom they have continuously exonerated from being the cause of the hardship in the country.
“We have a situation where now; the so-called majority caucus has come to the realisation that… the economy is not doing well. That the economy is not doing well, at least partly as a result of the incompetence of the managers of the economy.
“Now pitch that against the singsong all this time that the real cause of the problem is the Russia-Ukraine war. I sitting here, and I am wondering how Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu-Boahen are responsible for the Russia-Ukraine war.
“If the Russia-Ukraine war is the main reason that we are here, why call for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu-Boahen, who have nothing to do with the Russia-Ukraine war,” he said.
According to the MP for Team West, Carlos Ahenkrorah, the NPP MPs came to the decision to demand Ofori-Atta’s sack after feedback from their constituents during their recess disclosed that most Ghanaians were unhappy with the government because the finance minister was still at post.
He said that most of the majority caucus MPs spoke about how their constituents were suffering due to the economic challenges in the country.
Speaking in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Ahenkrorah intimated that they had to inform the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the difficulties of their constituents so that it does not affect the NPP’s fortunes in the future.
“There is a lot of pressure on us. If you go to your constituency office and you listen to the concerns of your constituents, it is very disheartening. Just yesterday, three women visited my office, and they were crying while narrating how they had lost their businesses because the price of a gallon of oil they used to purchase for GH¢60[600] is now selling for GH¢1000,” he said in Twi.
Ghanaian statesman and politician, Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has revealed that, but for the intervention of the NPP MPs, Ghana would have been on the verge of experiencing a military intervention.
According to him, the call for the dismissal of the finance minister whipped away the plot.
He advised the president to learn from this development as the actions of the NPP MPs are unprecedented.
“Those who made this intervention have saved the 4th republic. We were getting close to military intervention but the MPs actions yesterday totally wiped it off and I think the country should learn from that as well. Akufo-Addo, as I know, will definitely make attempts to change their minds, if they instead allow that, then they will be most hated people in this country or on the political landscape,” he said in an interview with TV3’s Big Issue show.
Speaking on the call for the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta, Nyaho-Tamakloe indicated that it did not come to him as a surprise even though it was long overdue.
He added that what the NPP MPs did shows clearly that our democracy can be on course if we want.NPP MPs saved the country from an upcoming coup d’état – Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe
Ghanaian statesman and politician, Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has revealed that but for the intervention of the NPP MPs, Ghana is on the verge of experiencing a military intervention.
According to him, the call for the dismissal of the finance minister whipped away the plot.
He advised the president to learn from this development as the actions of the NPP MPs are unprecedented.
“Those who made this intervention have saved the 4th republic. We were getting close to military intervention but the MPs actions yesterday totally wiped it off and I think the country should learn from that as well. Akufo-Addo, as I know, will definitely make attempts to change their minds, if they instead allow that then they will be most hated people in this country or on the political landscape,” he said in an interview with TV3’s Big Issue show.
Speaking on the call for the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta, Nyaho-Tamakloe indicated that it did not come to him as a surprise even though it was long overdue.
He added that what the NPP MPs did shows clearly that our democracy can be on course if we want.
Although he has not clearly stated it, President Akufo-Addo has, however, given a roadmap on the possibility of taking action on a demand made on him by some Members of Parliament.
The call by the 80 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, was for the president to sack the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
As surprising as the news has been, particularly since the minister is a member of their party and this is the first time any such thing has happened in the country, it has already brought up suggestions on who could take over as the country’s finance minister.
In an earlier GhanaWeb story, three names have come up for the job: Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah, Professor Gyan Baffour, and Kwame Pianim.
GhanaWeb further places the spotlight on these individuals to understand what they bring to the job, in the instance that they get it.
Below is a profile of Professor Gyan Baffour:
Prof George Yaw Gyan Baffour is currently the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission and Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Finance.
He is a former Member of Parliament who represented the Wenchi Constituency from 2005 to 2021. He was a professor at Howard University in Washington DC from 1993 to 2021.
He is an economist, a banker and an insurer.
Being an economist, Professor George Gyan Baffour has mainly sat on parliamentary committees that relate to his field, which include the Special Budget Committee, the Education Committee, and the Poverty Reduction Committee, and he was once the Acting Chair of the Special Budget Committee.
The ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor appointed Prof George Gyan Baffour as the Director General of the National Development Planning Commission in 2002. It was during his time that he established the first system for overseeing and assessing the rate of national development.
He oversaw the development of the coordinated program for the Economic and Social Development of Ghana.
Prof George Gyan Baffour is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Economists of Ghana. He was a member of various boards, including the Bank of Ghana (2005-2008), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) from 2003 to 2005.
He has a PhD in Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, a post-Doctorate Diploma from Harvard University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a Bsc (Hons) in Economics from the University.
Prof George Gyan Baffour is currently a Senior Policy Advisor to the Finance Minister, focusing mainly on Sustainable Development Goals and climate change mitigation financing.
He is the UN Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data Ambassador in the UN’s SUN movement focal person for Ghana and Executive Committee Excom Member representing Central and Eastern Africa.
He was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of Ghana in March 2005. As a Minister For Planning, he was the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on SDGs.
