Parliament has today, March 29, 2021 approved Finance Minister-designate, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, as the Finance-Minister under President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s second administration.
The Appointments Committee of Parliament today presented its report which indicated that members had approved Mr Ofori-Atta for appointment as the Minister of Finance.
In their 22-page report signed by First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the appointments committee, Joe Osei Owusu and Mrs Rosemary Arthur Sarkodie, Clerk to the committee, it stated that the committee by consensus, recommended to Parliament to approve the nomination of Ofori-Atta.
“Mr. Speaker I rise to move that the house adapts the four reports of the Appointments Committee on the President’s nomination of Mr. Ken Ofori Atta for appointment of Minister for Finance. Mr speaker, the Committee by consensus recommends to the house to approve the nominee Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta for appointment for position responsible for the Finance.
“The committee, after deliberations on the nominations of His Excellency, the President for ‘Ministerial Appointments’ and in accordance;with Article 256 (1) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 172 of the Standing Orders of Parliament,;recommends for the approval of the House, the nomination of Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta for appointment as Minister responsible for Finance.”
Joe Osei Owusu
Ofori Atta’s Vetting
Mr Ken Ofori-Atta after being taken ill due to COVID-19 came back to Ghana after recovery for his vetting. The minister-designate appeared before the committee on Thursday 25th March 2021. His session lasted for four hours and continued the next day for another four on Friday 26th March 2021. Also, this makes him the only minister-nominee in President Akufo-Addo’s second-term government to have been vetted for two days.
The nominee answered a range of questions from the justification for the resubmission of the Agyapa transaction, public sector negotiation, a rational for the proposed tax hikes by the government, management and use of revenue.
During his vetting, Ofori-Atta identified revenue mobilisation under property rates, addressing levels of tax exemption and digitisation of tax administration and collection as the three main areas on which he will focus.
He further said these three areas will help push the current ratio of tax to gross domestic product of about 12.5% to the proposed ratio of at least 17%, in an effort to progress towards Ghana Beyond Aid.
Ofori Atta on Agyapa
On the issue of the Agyapa deal, he intimated that, for the former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu to have brought out the Agyapa report without discussing with him for his input, is a disservice to the nation’s democracy. He also disclosed that the issues regarding the Agyapa deal as well as that in the report will be tackled when it is resubmitted before Parliament in due time.
Ofori Atta’s Illness
Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta is the last appointed Minister of President Akufo-Addo who has been approved by Parliament.
His vetting was postponed several times following his ill health due to post-COVID-19 health complications. He however, returned to Ghana on Monday, March 22, 2021 after his recovery. His approval makes this his second term serving as the Finance Minister for Ghana.
