Let Ofori-Atta finish IMF negotiations – Akufo-Addo to NPP MPs demanding his sacking

• Posted on October 26, 2022October 26, 2022
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

President Akufo-Addo has asked for more time for the embattled Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to conclude negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) before any talks of resignation.

Documents available to JoyNews suggest a deal could be reached with the IMF in three weeks for a $3 billion balance of payment support. 

This, the President believes, could be disrupted if Ken Ofori-Atta is sacked or forced to resign.

This was an outcome of a meeting held by President Akufo-Addo and NPP Members of Parliament over the demand for the finance minister to be sacked over his handling of the economy.

Some NPP MPs say several efforts to have government address the plights of their constituents with regard to the ailing economy had proved futile.

They thus held a press conference on Tuesday, October 2022, to voice their disquiet and demanded the head of Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen.

Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the Member of Parliament for the Asante-Akim North Constituency and spokesperson for the disgruntled Majority MPs group, told the media on Tuesday that sacking Ofori-Atta and Mr Adu Boahen will help restore confidence in Ghana’s economy.

“The recent development within the economy is of major concern to our caucus and our constituents. We have made our grave concern known to our president through the parliamentary leadership and the leadership of the party without any positive response,” he said.

“We are by this medium communicating our strong desire that the president changes the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry without further delay in order to restore hope to the financial sector and reverse the downward trend in the growth of the economy,” he added.

But the meeting last night could not resolve the issue as the MPs left unhappy. 

It is unclear whether they will carry through their threat to boycott government business.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo is continuing his engagements with interest groups on the state of the economy. 

He is expected to meet the Forex Bureau Operators, Trades Union Congress, Ghana Employers Association, Market Women, the Ghana Journalist Association, and others.

-Joy