Parliament too partisan, Ofori-Atta’s removal impossible – Prof Abdulai

Senior advisor at the African Parliamentarian Network Against Corruption (APNAC), Professor David Abdulai has cast doubt on the possible removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta from office.

This follows the failure of the Minister to appear before parliament to account for the COVID-19 funds.

According to Professor Abdulai, the calls by the Minority Caucus for the Minister to be dismissed, will not yield any results, since Ghana’s “parliament is too partisan”.

Speaking in an interview with Komla Lumor on 505 News on Class91.3FM, Thursday, 16 June 2022, Professor Abdulai said: “If it was elsewhere in the world, either he himself would resign, but for the fact that there is this perception that he is the cousin of the president, he is untouchable is enough.”

Touching on the minister’s failure to honour the call to appear before the House, Professor Abdulai noted that: “his absence is creating a perception that he has something to hide.”

He, therefore, urged the Finance Minister to appear before the house to ensure transparency.

He added that the minister’s action may affect the country’s democracy in the future and stressed that the country cannot continue to accept such recalcitrance from its leaders.

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called for the dismissal of the Finance Minister since according to them, his continuous stay in office amidst his abysmal performance so far, is in the interest of the president and not of the people of Ghana.

The finance minister was expected to answer questions in Parliament on the expenditure incurred by the Government since, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as provide details on how much taxpayers’ money has been spent on the construction of the national cathedral so far.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has indicated that until the Finance Minister, appears before the House, no business from the Finance Ministry will be considered.