The Minority in Parliament brought allegations against the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and filed a motion to have him removed from office.
The Speaker of the House, Alban Bagbin, has appointed a committee to look into these claims.
The 8-member committee has seven working days to finish its job and submit the report. It is co-chaired by Dr. Dominic Ayine and KT Hammond, representatives for Bolgatanga East and Adansi-Asokwa, respectively.
The Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, disputed the Minority’s motion, arguing that the Finance Minister will be treated unfairly if the House approves the application. The Speaker’s decision followed.
According to Mr. Afenyo-Markin, a careful examination revealed that the Minority’s assertions were criminal in nature.
To that end, he demanded that the Minister have a fair hearing.
Among other things, the Minority charged that Mr. Ofori-Atta personally benefited from each loan the administration took.
But the Effutu Member of Parliament said “these matters, upon a proper scrutiny, are criminal in nature. The Minister should be given a fair hearing.”
“If we go ahead with the application we will be doing a lot of injustice to our colleague. If this application is allowed it will be injustice and unfairness, the Minister wouldn’t have been given adequate time to prepare for his defense,” he stressed.
Justifying the motion to get the Finance Minister removed, the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said President Akufo-Addo was not ready to sack the Minister.
Therefore, he appealed the Majority Members of Parliament to support the move to get him removed.
In his ruling on this matter, Speaker Bagbin said after announcing the formation of the committee that “The evidence will be placed before the committee. The Minister will have the opportunity to defend himself.
“A report will be presented to the House, and we will debate that report.”
