80 NPP MPs call on Akufo-Addo to sack Ofori-Atta and Adu Boahen immediately
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Majority in Parliament has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack the Finance Minister and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry with immediate effect.
President Akufo-Addo and Ghana’s Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta
According to the lawmakers, failure by the President to heed their call of relieving Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen of their duties will lead to them sabotaging government business in the house.
The MPs, numbering about 80, held a press conference on Tuesday to impress on the President to relieve his cousin of managing the national purse or risk losing their support for government business going forward.
They also want the Minister of State in charge of Finance at the Office of the President to be subjected to a similar fate.
The MPs say their sentiments reflect the position of most of NPP members in House.
President Akufo-Addo recently backed the works of the Finance Minister and he said he has no reason to sack him.
President Akufo-Addo speaking on OTEC FM in Kumasi said he has full confidence in the Minister who is his cousin.
“I came to office in 2017 under a stringent IMF programme. This same man was able to manage the affairs of our economy in such a way that in my first term, we were one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
“An average growth rate of 7% which allowed us to initiate programmes such as Planting for Food and Jobs. So somebody who has been able to do that. The current difficulties are not his fault. So how do I do it (sack him)? What will be the basis? What will be the rationale.”
President Akufo-Addo thus said calls for him to sack the Minister is unjustified.
“If we were to say he didn’t do well in the first term, then why did I renominate him for my second term? So for me, their performance my first time was excellent. Let me use that word. Excellent,” he added.
He said the Minister has performed excellently since the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration took over.
