General News of Thursday, 28 January 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2021-01-28Ken Ofori-Atta should be facing criminal trial not re-appointment – ASEPA Boss
Mensah Thompson, the Executive Director for the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability
Mensah Thompson, the Executive Director for the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has said Ken Ofori-Atta, the minister-nominee for Finance should be facing prosecution for his role in the collapse of some financial institutions in 2017 and 2018.
According to him,
Read full articlehref='/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=3400'>Ken Ofori-Atta, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, breached a number of laws and therefore should have been slapped with criminal charges.
Speaking on Neat FM, Mensah Thompson, alleged that the Finance Ministry acted in contravention of the Banking Act 930 and the Security Industry Act 929.
“We believe that Ken Ofori-Atta is unfit to occupy the position of Finance Minister. He engaged in a number of violations of the public financial laws. Our conviction is that Ken Ofori-Atta committed a number of illegalities and took the country through some difficulties.
"He conducted himself in ways that we think at this particular point, he should be standing criminal prosecution, not vetting for political appointment. He should be standing criminal trial.
"The manner in which the banks were collapsed, we believe that it was against the Banking Act 980 and the security industry act 929. There are instances where his actions directly facilitated the collapse of banks”, he said.
The ASEPA boss was commenting on a petition sent to the Speaker of Parliament, praying him to reject the nomination Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister.
In the letter, the group urged Members of Parliament to reject any attempt by any of the appointees to influence them into accepting their nomination.
“We’re also sending a word of caution to members of the appointment committee that we know of plans far advanced to induce members of the appointments committee to approve the nomination of Mr Ken Ofori-Atta even though he knows for a fact that he’s unfit to occupy the position”, he added.
In addition “we are sending a word of caution to them that we’re watching them and the people of Ghana will hold you to account on their conduct on the committee. We are also sending a special warning to the members of the NDC caucus of parliament that this time round it is not business as usual that the minority will have their say but majority will have their way.”
