The Minority Caucus in Parliament has indicated that it is very unhappy with the refusal of the Governor of Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison to receive its petition but rather sent the Director of Security at the Bank of Ghana to receive the petition on behalf of the Governor.
The Minority leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson insisted it will not present the petition to any individual aside the Governor of the central bank, Dr. Ernest Addison.
“It is very disrespectful not to receive the petition himself. Not even the deputy is here, and we never said we were going to present our petition to security, and we would not give you the petition. Now that he has decided to disrespect us, we will not present our petition, and so we will go and come back again. Until we see him, this is just the beginning.”
Dr Cassiel Ato Forson
BOG Governor Sends Delegation To Receive #OccupyBOGProtest Petition
The Minority Caucus in Parliament were met by the Wing Commander, Kwame Asare Boateng, Head of Security at the Central Bank to receive its petition on behalf of the Governor of the central bank, Dr. Ernest Addison when they got to the premises of the central bank.
According to the Delegation from the central bank, the Governor of the central bank was unable to meet the protesters due to his engagement with a delegation from the International Monetary Fund at the time.
“We were informed that you would come and present the petition, but as we speak, the governor is meeting the IMF team,”
Kwame Asare Boateng
However, Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson insisted he will not submit the petition in the absence of the Governor, Dr Ernest Addison and described decision of the central bank as disrespectful.
The Minority Leader further indicated that it will return another day when the governor is available to submit the petition to the Governor in person.
The Minority Leader also accused the Governor of the central bank for recklessly mismanaging the affairs of the central bank.
He stressed that the Governor of Bank of Ghana together with his two deputies printed GHS80 billion for the past two years without parliamentary approval and also written off about GHS 48 billion of government debt without parliamentary approval.
“They have mismanaged the monetary policy of the country; Today Ghana, our beloved country is on its knee. The Governor acted without the recourse to parliament. But let me say this, printing money is like alcoholism, the perceived good effect comes immediately but the hangover comes after the party. Governor Addison printed money to finance the champagne lifestyle of President Akuffo Addo and Bawumia lifestyle on akpeteshie budget and we won’t accept. The central bank today is technically bankrupt and insolvent”.
Dr Cassiel Ato Forson
The Minority Caucus in Parliament and the National Democratic Congress in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations, Progressive Forces and other well-meaning Ghanaians embarked on it much anticipated #OccupyBOGProtest today, Tuesday 3rd October 2023.
The protest was attended by thousands of people from diverse background across the country.
According to the Minority Caucus the purpose of its protest was to expressed its revulsion against the illegal printing of money (about GH₵80 billion) between 2021 and 2022 by Bank of Ghana for President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the New Patriotic Party administration which led to a hyper-inflation rate of 54.1% in December 2022.
The protestors accused Dr Ernest Addison and his two deputies of gross mismanagement of the central bank, citing the over GHc60 billion loss by the Bank of Ghana as the basis for their call for their resignations.
READ ALSO: Minority Declares Countless Protest Until BOG Governor Resigns
