The Leader of Minority in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, has shared what he would remember former minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, for.
For being Ghana’s longest serving Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta was ousted in President Akufo-Addo’s only significant reshuffle on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
In an interview with TV3’s Alfred Ocansey which was aired on Ghana Tonight Thursday, February 15, 2024, the former Minority Spokesperson on Finance outlined what he would remember Mr. Ofori-Atta for.
“He will be remembered as the one who borrowed to benefit his businesses and his cronies. He’s the same Finance minister who has brought our financial sector to its knees. He gave crude and painful haircuts to even pensioners and destroyed homes and livelihoods.
“He is the same finance minister who within one year, has plunged about 25% of Ghanaian population representing about 8.5 million Ghanaians into extreme poverty,” he indicated.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ofori-Atta is rumoured to assume the role of a senior financial advisor to the government, a position many have described as bigger than what he earlier occupied.
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The development, according to Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, who led his fellow MPs to demand for the minister’s removal or resignation for his poor performance, has said would be worrisome if it turns out to be true.
He was also speaking to Alfred Ocansey on Ghana Tonight same day when he made the remarks.
“I have not heard what you’re talking about, but if it’s a position that would be superior to the Finance Ministry, I will be worried but I’m not sure that would be the case.”
The Asante Akyem North lawmaker indicated that the Ministry has always worked in collaboration with other departments and institutions and that’s what he would be looking out for, rather than an outfit that would still make the Finance ministry a subservient to the supposed portfolio for Ofori-Atta.
“The Finance ministry, as I’ve seen it, has always worked independently of other ministries except that there is that collaboration between them, not the Finance ministry is subservient to any other ministry so I’m not too sure there will be another portfolio that will be bigger than the finance minister and that finance minister will submit to that newly created portfolio. I don’t believe that but if it happens like that, it will be unfortunate,” he noted.
According to him, “so as long as the Finance minister is not subjugated to the new portfolio, I have no problem with that because collaboration is what we need between ministries. Unless it becomes clear that the finance minister would have to work under the new portfolio then I would have problem.”
Reacting to the reshuffling of the minister, he said even though delayed, it is better late than never.
“It would have been better if it had been adhered to earlier. We’ll take it as it is and thank the President for listening to us,” he said.
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