Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, has expressed his severe dissatisfaction in the continuation of Ken Ofori-Atta’s position as Finance minister, following the conclusion of discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Following Ghana’s economic crisis, the Majority Caucus in Parliament began to exert growing pressure on the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, calling for his urgent resignation.
Nevertheless, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stepped in and urged the caucus to wait on making its demand, until the conclusion of significant talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Months after the IMF agreement was finalized, the President has neglected to respond to the majority caucus’ demand.
However, the North Tongu MP commented on this during the discussion of the Mid-Year Budget Review delivered to Parliament and stated that President Akufo-Addo cannot be relied upon to follow his promises.
“This Finance Minster has run out of ideas, totally mismanaged the economy, and given us the worst economic climate in our history. And he should not be the one presenting budget statements. I must state for the record that this House is not oblivious of the fact that the crisis we are in, is self-inflicted and created by President Akufo-Addo and Bawumia.
“The President told us that the Finance Minster will leave after the IMF programme but the President has refused to show him the exit and that is very disappointing.”
Okudzeto Ablakwa
Additionally, he called the Finance Minister’s insensitivity in failing to remove the taxes on sanitary pads from the mid-year budget review.
“Ghanaian women had agitated strongly that this mid-year review should abolish taxes on sanitary pads and it is an embarrassment that such a gross human rights issue did not receive attention from the Finance Minister.”
Okudzeto Ablakwa
NPP Has Been A Spectacular Failure In Management Of Economy
On the other hand, after the presentation of the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Statement in Parliament, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a former Deputy Minister of Communications, has also lambasted Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for saying that Ghana’s economic problems were over.
As stated by Mr Kwakye Ofosu, Ofori-Atta is charged of misleading Ghanaians about the real situation of the nation’s economy.
He claimed that the Akufo-Addo-administration had failed horribly and that it was unable to find an explanation for its shortcomings.
“Some people claim they have turned a certain corner. I’m not sure which corner it is, whether it is ‘corners in’ or ‘mama’s corner’ or ‘cornerstone’. Which corner have they turned around…4 corners? The NPP has been a spectacular failure in the management of the economy. There is no explanation, it doesn’t matter which corner you have turned, whether ‘4 corners’ or ‘8 corners.”
Felix Kwakye Ofosu
On top of that, he highlighted that the Akufo-Addo government’s failure is based on real-verifiable data, rather than speculation or gut instinct.
The discussion is still going on, and the public is still paying attention to the developments, despite the divergent opinions on Ghana’s economic predicament.
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