Former Chairman of People’s National Congress (PNC), Bernard Mornah, has disclosed that the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, does not believe in the efficacy and potency of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a solution to any economic crisis.
According to him, due to the current regime’s bastardization of the IMF program, it is telling of their position on the matter. He indicated that the Vice President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia once stated that “running to the IMF is a mark of failure and that if you have not failed you will not run” to the IMF.
Mr Mornah questioned why Mr Ofori-Atta is “holding on and putting pressure on everybody” when it comes to decisions for the country. He noted that the country doesn’t depend on an entity to thrive as it has outlived even past Presidents.
“… Whether Ken Ofori-Atta is here or not, Ghana will continue to live. It is the country Ghana that the IMF is dealing with. So, for anyone to sit at any corner to pontificate that the absence of Ken Ofori-Atta will not lead to an IMF closure will belittle himself… Ken Ofori-Atta is behaving like a Muslim who says that I don’t eat pork, but I take pork soup; because Ken Ofori-Atta doesn’t believe in the efficacy and potency of the IMF as a solution to any economic crisis. In fact, Akufo-Addo doesn’t believe same.”
Bernard Mornah
CHRAJ petitioned to investigate finance minister
Commenting on a petition put forth by investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the finance minister, Mr Mornah stated that political parties must do the needful and conduct “proper interrogation and investigation into the background” of the people they want to see occupy political spaces. He expressed that not carrying out due diligence on prospects will put these parties in a poor light.
“When you have not done that, it will be prudent to say probably there’s much more work to be done because these revelations are coming up. Ken Ofori-Atta is not the only minister in government, for his name to come up severally on these issues of conflict of interest, conflict of duties and what have you; should not just be something you just gloss over and say that the man is confident, to the extent that you are a confident liar does not mean you are not a liar…”
Bernard Mornah
Touching on the yet to be presented 2023 budget statement by the finance minister, the former PNC Chairman asserted that investor confidence continues to waver and Mr Ofori-Atta should be worried about that. He explained that investors and businessmen are waiting to see programs, projects and new designs that will be captured in the 2023 budget, which will inform their line of business and investments.
“The budget statement that normally will be presented by the 15th of November is yet to be presented. As to whether Ken Ofori-Atta is the one going to present it or not, and if he is going to be the one; what will be the ramification of parliament and even the investor community is something that we should all be worried about. These questions have not been answered and this one man he has been there…”
Bernard Mornah
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