Some New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers are calling for Ken Ofori-Atta to be fired as Finance Minister.
The MPs, numbering around 80, held a press conference on Tuesday to press the President to relieve his cousin of the responsibility of managing the national purse or risk losing their support for future government business.
They also want Chares Adu Boahen, Minister of State in charge of Finance at the President’s Office, to suffer a similar fate.
Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP for Asante Akyem North, delivered the speech.
According to him, the call was relayed to the Presidency via the leadership, but to no avail.
“Notice is hereby served that until such persons as aforementioned are made to resign or removed from office, we members of the Majority caucus here in parliament will not participate in any business of government by or for the President [or] by any other minister,” he explained.
The MPs claim that their feelings reflect those of the NPP caucus in the House.
The opposition legislators have consistently called for the Minister’s resignation, with some civil society organizations joining the fray at one point.
The approval of the 2023 budget, which will be critical to expenditure, is one of the key cards on the table for these majority MPs, especially at a time when government finances are in limbo.
“If our request is not responded to positively, we will not be present for the budget hearing, neither will we participate in the debate,” Mr. Appiah-Kubi indicated.
The development comes amid the country’s worsening economic downturn, as the Ministry seeks a vital bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
