Accra – Ghanaian Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta faced an enquiry from lawmakers over his financial management on Friday as the government comes under increasing pressure over the country’s economic woes.
President Nana Akufo-Addo faces growing criticism just as his government negotiates up to $3 billion in credit from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help shore up public finances.
Akufo-Addo last month appealed to Ghanaians to support his efforts to manage the “crisis” as inflation has hit 40 percent and the national currency, the cedi, has dropped sharply.
A top cocoa and gold producer, Ghana also has oil and gas reserves, but its debt service payments are high and like the rest of the continent it has been hit hard by fallout from the global pandemic and the Ukraine war.
A parliamentary committee on Friday was discussing whether to censure Ofori-Atta who some ruling party lawmakers have already called for the president to fire.
Opposition MPs were questioning him on alleged misuse of public funds and “alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy,” according to the motion they filed.
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In his introductory remarks, Ofori-Atta said he wanted to dispel doubts about his competence, but apologised to Ghanaians for the struggles they faced.
“I acknowledge our economy is facing difficulties and the people of Ghana are enduring hardships,” he said.
“As the person President Akufo-Addo has put in charge of this economy, I feel the pain personally, professionally, and in my soul.”
The hashtag #KenMustGo was trending on Twitter.
The parliamentary committee will probe the allegations against the minister before deciding to present a motion of censure to the parliament, which is equally split between the ruling NPP and opposition NDC party.
The president has the final word on whether to dismiss the minister.
Earlier this week Akufo-Addo fired the government’s junior finance minister, Charles Adu Boahen, over graft allegations after he appeared in an expose documentary.
Akufo-Addo also referred the case to prosecutors for further investigation.
The Ghanaian leader this year reversed his position and said he would seek an IMF credit after his government initially said a new tax on electronic transactions would help the country avoid a loan.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter/@MDaangata
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