Minority leader in Parliament Haruna Iddrisu and his colleagues in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have initiated processes to file a motion for the immediate removal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
The move comes shortly after some Members of Parliament who are part of the Majority Caucus called for the dismissal of the Finance Minister, as well as the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen.
Engaging the press on Tuesday, First Deputy Minority Whip Ahmed Ibrahim, noted that the Majority’s demands are long overdue.
“If they meant well, the day they went to the cabinet meeting and President Akufo-Addo pointed to them that ‘you want me to sack my Finance Minister when he was funding my campaign, where were you’ . This is what he told them at the cabinet meeting. That was the day we were expecting them to come with such a statement,” he said.
He further alleged that Mr Ofori-Atta still heads the Ministry of Finance because “he used his Data Bank to support his )Akufo-Addo’s) campaign to become President, therefore the Finance Ministry is compensation.”
Nonetheless, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim charged the NPP MPs who want the sector minister dismissed to demonstrate good will by supporting the motion for immediate impeachment of Ken Ofori-Atta.
He said “as representatives of the people and as duty bearers, we must move a motion to call for the head of the Finance Minister. So if our brothers in the Majority believe in this, what they should do is to support the motion from the Minority Leader for the dismissal of the Finance Minister.”
Two-thirds of Parliamentarians are required to impeach the Finance Minister. The Minority Group currently comprises 136 legislators, while the Majority, 138.
The Assin North Parliamentary seat is being contested at the Supreme Court over dual citizenship claims by James Gyakye Quayson.
Several Ghanaians including opposition parties have mounted pressure on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to remove Mr. Ofori-Atta from office following the country’s current economic predicaments which has compelled government to seek support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Both Minority and Majority Groups believe that the sacking of Ofori-Atta and Adu Boahen will help restore confidence in Ghana’s economy that has been saddled with debt and high inflation.
“We are communicating our strong desire that the President should change the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry without further delay in order to restore hope into the financial sector and reverse the downward trend in the growth of the economy,” Asante-Akim North MP, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, who spoke on behalf of the Majority said.