The Majority in Parliament has stated that the caucus will not support a motion to invite the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to Parliament.
According to the caucus, the Minority had already judged the Governor by their protest against him (Governor) and asking for his resignation.
This indication was given by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu. He believes the Minority should have first invited Dr. Ernest Addison to parliament.
“We are Members of Parliament, we could have invited the Governor to come and talk about the issues that are not clear to us. You go on a demonstration and organize a press conference against the man then you come back to Parliament to move the motion [to invite him], do you want me to support that?”
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
According to him, the posture of the minority does not allow the Governor to explain the issues to parliament because the minority has already taken a stance on issues.
“Now, you have made up your mind that whatever has been done by [the Governor] is inappropriate, you are not going to countenance it, so if he comes to explain the issues, are you going to take it or jettison it?”
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
Majority Leader Denies Sam George’s Claims
During the protest against the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and his two deputies, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, told the media that Dr. Addison, the Governor, was a “coward”. This, according to him, is because he had shown up at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament only about three times over the past seven years. Samuel Nartey George said the invitation to the Governor to appear before it to answer questions relating to the Central Banks’s operations has most times been turned down. Usually, the Governor sent his deputies to represent the bank, he emphasized.
“Ernest Addison is a coward, we had stated earlier that we were sure he wouldn’t show up. For seven years I have been on the Public Accounts Committee, the Public Accounts Committee invites the Bank of Ghana twice a year but he has appeared only three times in seven years so it is not strange.”
Samuel Nartey George
In response to the claim by Samuel Nartey George, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu debunked it.
“I don’t know what he is saying, you don’t go out there and throw dust into the eyes of the people and give the dog a bad name so that you can hang it, it is not right.”
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
The Minority demanded that Dr. Addison, along with his two assistants, Dr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari and Dr. Elsie Addo Awadzi, resign due to their mismanagement of the Central Bank.
They accused the Bank of writing off government debt to the tune of GH¢48.4 million and overprinting cash for expenditure by the government against the Bank of Ghana Act.
Their demonstration demanded that the Governor receives their petition in person. However, the governor did not show up at the demonstration. Instead, the bank’s chief of security was sent to receive the petition.
The caucus felt disrespected and refused to submit the petition to the head of security. Thus, the conveners of the demonstration pledged to continue to protest until the Governor receives their petition in person.
Later, the Governor reiterated that his deputies and he did not intend to resign. He also stated that the demonstration “was completely unnecessary”.
“The Minority in Parliament has many channels to channel their grievances in civilized societies, not through demonstrations in the streets as hooligans.”
Dr. Ernest Addison
This comment from the Governor caused more stir in the Minority camp which it continues to assure the public to protest until the Governor and his two deputies resign.
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