Vote of Censure: “Let Ofori-Atta be heard” – Afenyo

Accra-Ghana, Nov. 01, GNA – The Majority Caucus in Parliament, on Tuesday called on the Minority to offer Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister, an opportunity to be heard on allegations levelled against him as the basis for a vote of censure.
The Minority has filed a motion of vote of censure against Mr Ofori-Atta over claims of conflict of interest and fiscal recklessness leading to the current economic hardship.
However, Mr Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, in his ruling on Thursday, October 27 said the motion was appropriately laid and was to be accepted with any objection.
Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Deputy Majority Leader, Tuesday, November 01, during proceedings raised some other concerns about the motion.
He said: “Mr Speaker, the Minister is entitled to be heard. You cannot take away the right to a fair hearing from a respondent. So, Mr Speaker, my view is that we have a serious matter as censure and the applicants have not served the Minister nor have, they served the basis on which they mounted their application.”
In his reaction, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader, said the Speaker’s ruling must be upheld.
“The Speaker has ruled, and we must show respect to the Speaker. If there are any disagreements with the ruling, they know what to do. Ordinarily, in any civilized democracy in the world, you do not even need a motion for the Minister of Finance to go home.
“He, upon self-appraisal of where he has led the country and economy, in all conscience, will bow out and save the nation. So, we have brought a competent motion,” he said
Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, in his ruling on Tuesday proposed that Mr Bagbin’s ruling on the matter be maintained.
“The issue of censure motion has already been discussed. These issues were raised, and the Speaker ruled that the motion was appropriate, so I think that we will patiently wait as the motion matures.”
The Minority cited despicable conflict of Interest ensuring that he directly benefited from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies received commissions and other unethical contractual advantages, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang.
They also cited Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, for the construction of the President’s Cathedral, Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution:
The minority cited deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament, Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi, currently the worst-performing currency in the world and alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis;
They also cited Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy.