The Council of Elders and National Executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are set to meet Members of Parliament (MP) in the Majority caucus over their demands for the dismissal of Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The meeting, scheduled to take place at Alisa Hotel at exactly 5pm today, is to discuss the demands of the MPs, especially their threats to boycott the presentation of the 2023 budget on Thursday, 24th November, if Ofori-Atta appears before Parliament to present it.
Many MPs in the Majority caucus of Ghana’s Parliament, have been very vocal about their lack of confidence in Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Even though the MPs had initially acceded to President Akufo-Addo’s plea to allow Ofori-Atta stay until the IMF negotiations are over and the 2023 budget is read and consequently appropriated, the rescinded their decision of allowing Ofori-Atta present the budget.
The disgruntled MPs claim that some issues that popped up after the acceded to the President’s request suggested that they did not really understand the President’s communication with them and hence their renewed demand for Ofori-Atta’s dismissal.
“We’ve gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the Finance Minister, we’ll not participate because as far as we’re concerned, we’re never going to do business with him.”
Andy Appiah-Kubi, Spokesperson of MPs
98 NPP MPs Call For Ofori-Atta’s Dismissal
Ninety-eight MPs from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), are set to boycott the presentation of the 2023 budget if Ken Ofori-Atta presents it.
The MPs have also threatened not to partake in any government business under the auspices of the Finance Ministry if the current Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is still in charge of the Ministry.
So basically, the MPs are calling for the dismissal of the Finance Minister immediately.
Spokesperson of the group, Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP for Asante Akyem North, claimed that “Ofori-Atta’s position in government has become untenable, hence the fresh demand for his resignation.”
Prior to this fresh agitation, Majority Leader, Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu had disclosed that the entire majority caucus was in support of Ofori-Atta’s dismissal.
He said this after the initial demand by some 80 MPs was waived off upon their meeting with President Akufo-Addo.
“Even though the issue started with the group of 80 plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the position of that group, so it is no longer the cause of the 80 plus MPs. It is the agenda for the entire caucus and we are having some discussions on that.”
Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Majority Leader
Meanwhile, the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, the man at the centre of all these issues, has said that he hasn’t been officially informed about the ongoing tensions within the party in Parliament. And so as things stand now, Ghanaians should “expect” that he will be the one present the budget.
READ ALSO: British Soldiers to Be Deployed to Ghana
