Parliament’s speaker, Rt. Hon. A committee headed by Alban S.K. Bagbin has been formed to look into the accusations made against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
A proposal for a vote of censure was submitted by the parliamentary minority that made the accusations in an effort to have him removed from office.
The MPs for Bolgatanga East and Adansi-Asokwa, Dr. Dominic Ayine and KT Hammond, will co-chair the committee, which consists of eight members.
The other members are Patrick Yaw Boamah, Agyapa Mercer, and Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi for the Majority, and Zenator Agyeman Rawlings, Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Bernard Ahiafor for the Minority.
The Committee must complete its work within seven business days and provide a report for the House to discuss.
Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the deputy majority leader in parliament, had objected to the Minority’s motion on the grounds that the Finance Minister would be treated unfairly if the House approved the application.
He argued that after careful examination, the Minority’s charges had a criminal bent, and he demanded a fair trial for the Minister.
In addition to other things, the Minority has accused Mr. Ofori-Atta of personally profiting from each loan the government obtains.
The Deputy Majority Leader claims that the House would be seriously wronging the Minister if it approved the application.
In his words, “If this application is approved, it will be unfair and unjust because the Minister wouldn’t have had enough time to organize his case.”
In his justification for the motion, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu argued that President Akufo-Addo was not yet prepared to dismiss the Minister and urged the House’s majority members to back the effort to have him ousted.
The Minority’s testimony will be presented before the committee, and the Minister will have the chance to provide a defense, according to Speaker Bagbin’s ruling.