Despite earlier reports suggesting his resignation, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta seems poised to continue leading the Ministry of Finance in 2024.
During a thanksgiving event with the Ministry of Finance staff in 2023, Mr. Ofori-Atta expressed gratitude for God’s mercy and preservation. He conveyed his belief that the Lord would continue to lead and guide the country in the coming year.
“I’m assure that the Lord will continue to lead and guide us in 2024. Our testimony is indeed victory on every side! Humbled to be leading the brilliant and resilient staff of Ministry of Finance,” the sector minister said.
In the face of economic challenges stemming from debt exchange and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Finance Minister Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta is positioned to spearhead a turnaround aimed at fostering productivity, prosperity, and employment.
Mr. Ofori-Atta consistently emphasizes that the government has successfully ‘turned the corner,’ highlighting achievements such as a notable reduction in inflation from 54% in December 2022 to 26.4% in November 2023, a stabilized exchange rate, and a significant decrease in the government fiscal deficit.
Following the post-COVID-19 period, the Minister initiated the ¢100 billion GhanaCARES (Obaatanpa) program, representing a four-year ‘clinical structural focus’ aligned with President Akufo-Addo’s transformation agenda. This program aims to expedite the government’s digitalization agenda, enhance efficiency in public service delivery, revitalize the housing and construction industry to address housing deficits, create job opportunities, and position Ghana as a regional hub.
The early stages of the GhanaCARES “Obaatan Pa” Programme are already showing promising results, with Mr. Ofori-Atta at the forefront of efforts to revolutionize Ghana’s rice sector through the implementation of the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Programme.
As a crucial component of the revitalization efforts, Mr. Ofori-Atta spearheaded the establishment of “YouBanC” under the ambitious ¢100 billion GhanaCARES ‘Obaatanpa’ Programme.
“Our strategy to place the private sector at the heart of this endeavour is to accelerate competitive import substitution and export expansion to generate sustainable jobs for our teeming youth (under 35 years), who make up about 71% of the population”, Mr. Ofori-Atta stated.