Minority file motion for impeachment of Finance Minister in Parliament today

The Minority Leader in Parliament Haruna Iddrisu has filed a motion for the impeachment of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

The motion is expected to be moved by the Minority Leader during today’s proceedings.

The Minority, therefore, has urged their counterparts in the Majority Caucus to throw their weight behind the motion to garner the two-thirds majority of 183 MPs needed to push for the Finance Minister’s removal.

Read also: Sack Ken Ofori-Atta to restore hope in economy - 20 Majority MPs

Reasons for impeachment

Addressing a press conference in Parliament, the First Deputy Minority Whip, Ibrahim Ahmed, said when the Business Committee met last Monday, the Minority Leader indicated to the Majority Leader and the Chairman of the Business Committee that he was going to proceed with a motion to impeach of the Finance Minister.

He said the move was based on the poor economic mismanagement, inconsistencies, non-performance and the lack of performing statutory obligations.

He, therefore, expressed shock at the move by the Majority Caucus to hold a press conference to call on the President to dismiss Mr Ofori-Atta.

“The Minority Leader told the chairman of the Business Committee, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, that as the representatives of the people, we must move a motion to call for the head of the Finance Minister.

“So, if our brothers in the Majority believe in this, what they should do is to support the motion by the Minority Leader for the dismissal of the Finance Minister,” he said.

Why President’s not sacking minister?

Mr Ahmed described the press briefing by the Majority as long overdue since they failed in the past to act.

“If they meant well, the day they went to Cabinet meeting and President Akufo-Addo pointed to them that ‘you want me to sack my finance minister when he was sponsoring my campaign where were you’ they should have acted”

“This is what the President told them in Cabinet meeting and that was the day we were expecting them to come with such a statement but you sat down and came to correct the communication outside to say that Mr Ofori-Atta performed for the first three years and that is why the President is not sacking him,” he said.

He added that: “The reason why Nana Akufo-Addo does not want to change Ken Ofori-Atta is that Ofori-Atta used his data bank to support his campaign to become President and therefore the Finance Ministry is as a compensation to the Finance Minister.”

Accusing the Majority Caucus of failing to come up with a motion to censure the Finance Minister, Mr Ahmed said if their counterparts meant well “we need two-thirds of MPs to sack the Finance Minister.”

“So, it should not be the Majority or the Minority coming to make a press conference.

“If we have 137 Minority and 137 Majority plus one and both sides believe that the Finance Minister is killing the economy and therefore he must go, it should not be difficult to mobilise 183 MPs to dismiss or to reshuffle him, if the President is failing to do that,” he added.

It would be recalled that earlier today, some Majority Members of Parliament numbering about 20 have asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo to remove finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and the minister of State at the ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, from office now to help restore confidence in Ghanaian economy.
The group said it will not do business with government if the president fails to heed to their call.

Spokesperson, Andy Appiah-Kubi, NPP Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North constituency told a press conference at Parliament House on Tuesday that members of the majority will not participate in any government business including the budget hearing until their demands were met.