Seth Terkper is Ghana’s best Finance Minister ever - Otokunor
Mr Peter Boamah Otokunor, a government communicator, has described Mr Seth Tekper as the best Finance Minister Ghana has ever had.
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Mr Otokunor was responding to a statement attributed to the Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA), Dr Joe Abbey, to the effect that Mr Terkper could become one of Ghana’s best finance ministers if a strong team of economists support him in his work.
"Seth Terkper stands the chance to be one of the best Finance Ministers we have ever had in this country given his own strong finance and tax credentials but what he needs is a strong team of Economists to deliver on his mandate,” Dr Abbey was quoted as saying.
Posting Sunday on his Facebook wall, Mr Otokunor said he was in agreement with Dr Abbey’s comment.
“…I couldn't agree with him more. Seth Terkpe (sic) is just on top of the job. For me he is actually the best Finance Minister we have ever had,” he wrote.
He suggested that in order for Ghana to take advantage of Mr Terkper’s capabilities, the technical desk at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) should be augmented with more economists, especially monetary and development economists.
The government communicator bemoaned what he said was the inability of Ghanaian economists to “position themselves in a manner that [makes] them useful to the government and the ministry”.
“Economic commentary is being run like a 'blue kiosk debate' without any serious facts and deeper analysis. Noise is made about economic issues without any suggestions or recommendations,” he said.
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Mr Otokunor also criticised the media for facilitating the “blue kiosk economic debate” in the country.
He said media practitioners often choose “to speak to 'some' sociologist and 'some' political science lecturers on economic matters, when we have a pool of serious economic minds around”.
His comments come at a turbulent period for Mr Terkper, who, as head of the government’s economic team, has had his competence questioned in view of the challenges facing the economy, including the rapid depreciation of the Cedi.
Mr Otokunor, however, expressed optimism that things will improve, saying: ”I know we will get there. Identifying the problem is 60% the solution.”
“The BGA [Better Ghana Agenda] is on course,” he added.