A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described as shameful the Majority Caucus’ decision to allow Finance Minister to stay in office until after the IMF negotiation is done.
Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show that the 80 NPP MPs who demanded the removal of Mr Ofori-Atta have joined the group of politicians who have lost their credibility.
He explained that this is because they failed to execute their mission to the letter.
“The people who originally issued this statement said that the Finance Minister has lost credibility and therefore this was affecting the discussions and pace of the outcome of the negotiations.
“The whole statement was premised on the need for change now. So the recent statement has now added them to those who have lost credibility.
“People don’t understand that it is not the Fund that is telling us what to do. We have to present a credible programme that they can add their credibility to it to ensure that others can see us as credible.
“So the complete U-turn for me is nothing but shameful. They have joined the group of incredulous politicians and the incredulous Executive,” he stated on Thursday.
But the Executive Director of IDEG, Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, was of a different view.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo is in a very difficult position given the fact that it is his own party leading the request, thus, it was important for the President to negotiate with them.
“I do not think the President has had his way except that he said we are in a negotiation and in some weeks steps will be taken.
“I don’t know how the negotiation went but if they trusted their leader that his word will be done in terms of the minister standing down, this is the position they’ve taken and we should hold them to it,” he observed.
Background
Given the financial crisis of the country in recent times, many Ghanaians have been calling for the resignation of Mr Ofori-Atta.
The President, however, has defended his cousin and refused to heed the calls. But the demand intensified when some 80 New Patriotic Party MPs on Tuesday, called for the immediate dismissal of the Finance Minister and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen.
According to them, the continuous stay of Ken Ofori-Atta in office was delaying the IMF bailout the country was seeking due to the fact that the Minister has lost all credibility.
They had thus petitioned the President to either remove him or face a boycott in Parliament.
“If our request is not responded to positively, we will not be present for the budget hearing, neither will we participate in the debate,” Mr Andy Appiah-Kubi, spokesperson for the Majority caucus and MP for Asante-Akim North Constituency indicated.