A presidential hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Konadu Apraku, has said he would have terminated the appointment of Ken Ofori-Atta as the Finance Minister if he were the President of Ghana.
He said he would have heeded the calls from some aggrieved NPP Members of Parliament pushing for the removal of Ofori-Atta over the economic turmoil.
President Nana Akufo-Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has refused to sack Ofori-Atta, despite pressure from NPP MPs in October 2022 to oust his Finance Minister for mismanaging the economy.
During a meeting with the MPs, the President negotiated with them to give him some time to act on their demands.
In his latest ministerial reshuffle, Nana Addo failed to touch Ofori-Atta who has come under immense pressure from a section of Ghanaians and parliamentarians.
The MPs are asking for the sacking of Ofori-Atta for poor management of the economy.
Speaking on GTV on Monday, February 13, 2023, Dr. Konadu stated that he would have shown Ofori-Atta the exit door if he was at the helm of affairs.
“If I were the President [Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo], I would have listened to the MPs and sacked Ofori-Atta.
“In politics, you have to be sensitive to public opinion. Sometimes, it may not be the truth, but that is the sentiments, and the sentiments of the people need to be examined, and acted upon if it is possible. It’s a great deal for the NPP MPs to come out there to say they don’t want our Finance Minister, their own Finance Minister that they have worked with in the past,” Dr. Apraku said.
He added: “In a democracy, we have to be sensitive to the people. Lack of action exacerbates the problem, so you cut it off and cut your losses and I would have cut my losses and said please you have done enough, the environment is hostile to you so go. I would have changed him.”
Meanwhile, the government has assured persons who refused to exchange their bonds for new ones under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme that their outstanding coupon payments and maturing principals will be settled.
