Ofori-Atta: Speaker Refers Minority’s Censure Motion Against Finance Minister to Committee

• Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin on Thursday, November 10, 2022, referred a motion of censure against Ken Ofori-Atta to an ad hoc committee
• The eight-member committee is expected to look into allegations levelled against the finance minister for which the Minority wants his appoint revoked
• The bi-partisan committee will then submit a report to the Speaker and the House for a final debate
• The finance minister may choose to make an appearance at the committee defend himself if he so wishes

In what many say is a disappointing turn of events, no secret vote of censure was taken against finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Thursday, November 10, 2022.

Instead, the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin referred the censure motion seeking to remove Ofori-Atta from office to an ad hoc committee.

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Ofori-Atta: Ayine, KT Hammond co-chairs committee to probe allegations against Finance Minister

The eight-member committee is expected to peruse evidence of the Minority’s claim of “despicable conflict of interest” against the minister and other allegations.

Announcing his decision on the motion of censure filed by the Minority in Parliament on Thursday, November 10, the Speaker said the minister will also get the opportunity to heard by the committee.

Alban Bagbin further explained that Ken Ofori-Atta may even be represented by a counsel before the eight-member committee if he so chooses.

The committee will then submit a report to the House for a decision to be taken, Alban Bagbin said.

The Speaker's decision on the committee was challenged vehemently by Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, and Cletus Akoka, MP for Zebilla.

But in the end the Speaker’s decision prevailed after citing the Constitution to back it.

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The Minority and Majority sides each presented four names to constitute the committee.

The members of the committee from the Minority side are as follows:

• Okudzeto Ablakwa – MP for North Tongu
• Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings – MP for Klottey-Korle
• Bernard Ahiafor – MP for Akatsi South; and
• Dominic Ayine – MP for Bolgatanga East.

The members of the committee from the Majority side are:

• Yaw Boamah – MP for Okaikoi Central
• Emmanuel Anyimadu-Antwi – MP for Ashanti Akyem Central
• Andrew Egyapa Mercer – Sekondi MP
• KT Hammond – Adansi Asokwa MP

KT Hammond and Dominic Ayine will co-chair the committee that is expected to complete its work within seven working days.

Ofori-Atta: “Despicable Conflict of Interest” And 6 Other Reasons Why Finance Minister Could Lose His Job

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a previous story that the Minority in Parliament triggered a process for the finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta to be removed.

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We will impeach Akufo-Addo if he refuses to remove Ken Ofori-Atta after censure vote – Minority threatens

The opposition Members of Parliament on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 filed the motion to trigger a process to revoke the minister's appointment citing severe economic challenges.

The Minority MPs cite the following seven reasons as justification to revoke Ken Ofori-Atta's appointment:

1. Despicable conflict of Interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana's economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantage, particularly from Ghana's debt overhang
2. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution supposedly for the construction of the President's Cathedral;
3. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution;
4. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament;
5. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst performing currency in the world;
6. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and on excruciating cost of living crisis;
7. Gross mismanagement of the economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship.

Source: YEN.com.gh