Vote of Censure: “I am truly sorry” – Ofori Atta

Accra-Ghana, Nov 19, GNA – Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister for Finance Friday apologised to Ghanaians over the current economic hardships.
Appearing at the Ad-hoc committee set up by Mr Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament to probe allegations for the motion of censure raised by the Minority in Parliament he told the Committee that “Mr Chairman, it is not the government’s intention to put Ghanaians through any form of hardship. I am truly sorry,” he said.
According to Mr Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s recent crisis occurred as a result of the devastating effects of the COVID -19 Pandemic and not as a result of the government’s recklessness.
“Mr Chairman, as the person President AKufo-Addo has put in charge of this economy, I feel the pain personally, professionally and in my soul…I see and feel the terrible impact of rising prices of goods and services on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians, I feel the stress of running a business, but it is the strength and perseverance of the Ghanaian people that inspire me and my colleagues in government every morning.
“That is what gives me the strength to press on and to find solutions and relief for Ghanaians to the myriad of problems that our country and the rest of the world are facing, especially since March 2020. Co-chairs, let me use this opportunity to say to the Ghanaian people what I believe, with courage, every finance minister around the world, may wish to say to their people now: ‘I am truly sorry,” he said.
Mr Ofori-Atta noted that despite the effects of COVID-19, the government had strived to ensure that Ghanaians had a regular power supply, continue to fix roads, and ensure that government workers were consistently paid their salaries.
The Minority Caucus in Parliament filed a motion for a vote of censure against Mr Ofori-Atta making seven allegations against him including conflict of interest, financial recklessness leading to the collapse of the Ghana Cedi and gross mismanagement of the economy.
The Finance Minister, however, in a written request, before the hearing, sought further and better particulars on the grounds for the motion while raising questions over the committee’s jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, at the opening of the hearing on Friday, the Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee on strikeout grounds one and three from the list of seven allegations levelled against him.
The decision the embattled Finance Minister said he was pleased with.