Finance Minister, Ken Ofori -Atta, says he was heartbroken and disappointed during the demand for President Nana Akufo-Addo to dismiss him or he resigns his post.
In an exclusive interview with GTV on Sunday, August 6, Mr Ofori-Atta said during those protests, he was battered and broken but only had one duty to fulfill – to stay on and serve his beloved country to recover from the economic doldrums.
According to him, there was no running away in such a period and only the bold and courageous will stay on and fight.
Calls for his dismissal were rife within the framework of the country’s democracy.
“In the period of censure, in which Parliament then voted against it, but more importantly, you were in a situation where you were battered and broken.
“And do not leave a ship at that time, and given the urgency of ensuring the IMF programme will get through, for me it was a duty to serve, and there was no running away from it,” Mr Ofori-Atta said.
Mr Ofori-Atta, however, noted that as a public official, individuals had the right to demand his removal.
The Finance Minister recently said the year 2022 was his worse year in office.
According to him, the year in question compelled him to take very “difficult decisions but necessary decisions” for the recovery of the Ghanaian economy.
The Finance Minister revealed that key amongst these decisions were the decision to seek for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He insisted that had it not been the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak and the Russia-Ukraine war, such a move would not have been undertaken.
“Mr Speaker, 2022 was the most difficult year for me as Ghana’s Finance Minister. On July 1st, 2022, we took what was then a very difficult but necessary decision to request support from the IMF to implement our Post-COVID-19 Programme of Economic Growth (PC-PEG).
“The country was going through a dire period of economic uncertainties and despondency.”
In 2022, the Finance Minister faced criticism as some New Patriotic Party (NPP) legislators called for his ousting, attributing the nation’s economic challenges for his poor performance.
The National Democratic Congress also lodged a censure motion for his removal, citing factors like gross incompetence and conflict of interest.
Amid the vote to remove him from his position, the Majority staged a walkout.