A former Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr. Mark
Assibey-Yeboah has pleaded with the Majority Group to fully cooperate
with Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for the latter to present 2023
Budget Statement and Economic Policy in Parliament this week despite
the former’s avowed resolve to get him out of office.
He said the abrupt removal of Charles Adu Boahen, Minister of State at
the Ministry of Finance, from office just last week has created a vacuum
hitherto occupied by an experienced hand with critical institutional
memory and therefore yanking off Ofori-Atta as well even before the
A budget statement would be a double jeopardy that may be useful for the
optics of partisan politics but certainly not a deeply thought-through
administrative strategy.
Dr. Assibey-Yeboah indicated that the loss of Charles Adu Boahen is a
huge blow to the Ministry, and that the President would need some time
to restore normalcy there.
“We are told the date for the Budget statement is long overdue. It would
be economically suicidal to risk any further avoidable delay. Let the man
present the Budget. The signals we are picking are disturbingly worrying
and must be addressed in a direct and candid language that because of
the sensitive and difficult economic situation we are experiencing as a
country and its global nature, it would be prudent for us to cooperate
with and fully support Ken Ofori-Atta to, at least, present the Budget
and Policy statement as well as see to the successful passage of the
Appropriation Bill in our collective, rather than individual interests.
“In all honesty, I believe that no matter how noble the intentions of the
persons calling for Ofori-Atta’s sack may be, the same noble intentions
if sought after in haste as it seems to be the case now, could end in a
waste and turn out to be destructive rather than constructive”, Dr.
Assibey-Yeboah noted during a rather brief conversation with journalists
on Saturday.
With a few days to the presentation of the Budget, there are concerns
that some grumbling members of the Majority Caucus are threatening to
boycott anything and everything that has to do with Ken Ofori-Atta and
this is what has caused Dr. Assibey-Yeboah to call for calm heads and
tolerance.
“The country is in an era of economic crisis where world economies are
in a recession. We cannot afford to risk a decision that would disturb our
economy. Even the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of
Parliament gave Ken Ofori-Atta his right to be heard by the Committee.
At least they tolerated him and agreed to disagree but still they worked
with him on the Committee so I find it a bit unusual if not unfortunate
that some members from our side would still insist they do not want to
see even his shadows at the Plenary at the threshold of the Budget
statement.
“This cannot be the best of ways to build democracy or be a fitting
member of any group. You have made your demand on what you want
to happen to the appointee, the appointor has accepted your demand and
both parties have agreed on the roadmap to that specific demand. That
roadmap has been told to the general public and there is calm. It is just
fair that the agreement is adhered to and we all play our parts in sincerity
in the larger interest of the Group, the Party, and Government”, Dr.
Assibey-Yeboah added.
The Minority Caucus filed a motion of censure for the immediate
removal of the Finance Minister even before he reads out the Budget and
Police Statement but the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin set up an
8-member ad-hoc Committee to probe the seven (7) grounds or
allegations contained in the motion.
When Ken Ofori-Atta appeared before the ad-hoc committee probing the
censure motion for his removal, he rebuffed the allegations against him
and challenged the veracity of those allegations.
The Committee is yet to submit its findings and decisions.
