The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has expressed strong reservations and concerns about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s recent appointment of former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, as the Presidential Advisor and Special Envoy for International Finance and Private Sector Investment.
In a strongly worded statement, the North Tongu Member of Parliament raised alarm bells about the implications of the appointment and stated that Mr. Ken Ofori Atta’s new appointment could have some dire ramifications for the country due to the nature of his new role.
“Ken Ofori-Atta’s top appointment — let’s fast and pray for this sorry Republic. Take note that Presidential Advisors and Special Envoys are not accountable to Parliament and cannot be summoned to answer parliamentary questions for their actions”.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP North Tongu
Commenting on the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta’s track record during his tenure as Finance Minister, Mr Ablakwa accused him of engaging in questionable financial activities without recourse to the Parliament of Ghana.
The Honorable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa specifically pointed to Mr Ofori-Atta’s controversial withdrawal of US$58 million for the construction of President Akufo-Addo’s National Cathedral, the failed US$12 million Agyapa deal, the controversial US$100 million spent on the Strategic Mobilisation Limited deal, among a host other controversial deals he supervised as Finance Minister.
Furthermore, the North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Abalkwa criticized the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta for creating his Contingency Vote and the controversial allocation of GHS241.9 million in the 2022 budget for e-Transaction Levy Services, a move he led the Minority in Parliament to stop.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta’s track record portends danger for the country particularly due to the nature of the office President Akuo-Addo has reassigned him to.
Calls For Reduction In President Akufo-Addo’s Government
Moreover, the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa expressed dismay at what he described as the insensitivity of President Akufo-Addo to increase the size of his government following calls by several Ghanaians for reduction.
Mr Ablakwa recounted that during a time of economic crisis and hardships, where many Ghanaians expected a reduction in the size of the government, President Akufo-Addo should have used his reshuffle as the perfect opportunity to reduce the size of his government and not increase it.
He expressed deep concerns about what he described as a situation that has resulted in the return of several “sacked ministers’ in various capacities, including as presidential advisors, ministers of state at the presidency, or advisors to ministers.
Meanwhile, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, co-founder of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development and former United Nations Senior Governance Adviser has argued that the appointment of the former Finance, Minister Ken Ofori Atta as Presidential Advisor and Special Envoy for International Finance and Private Sector Investment would interfere in the work of the new Finance Minister.
The distinguished Governance Expert explaining his views indicated that the new role of the former Minister suggests that somehow he is going to be dealing directly in the country’s international financial engagements, especially negotiations either for debt arrangements or new loans, a role he believes is required of the new Finance Minister.
Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah further argued that the conflicting concerns are likely to undermine the work of the new Finance Minister if not properly addressed.
“The question is whether this is going to overshadow the work of the new Finance Minister, because as the new Finance Minister he is leading the country in meeting our international obligations and negotiations on that, he should be the one to lead the negotiation for new loans, but if Mr. Ofori-Atta is going to be an envoy for international finance then that will suggest that somehow he will be playing a leading role”
Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah
The former Finance Minister in a letter dated February 15, 2024, and signed by the Chief of Staff, Frema Osei-Opare, was appointed as the Senior Presidential Advisor and Special Envoy for International Finance and Private Sector Investments.
His appointment has triggered calls for increased vigilance from civil society and the public.
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