‘The impunity is too much’ – Parliament must discipline Ofori-Atta – Omanhene

Omanhene Kwabena Asante, a journalist with Accra-based Adom TV has called on Parliament to discipline Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

His call comes on the back of the Minister’s failure last week to appear before Parliament to account for the use of COVID-19 funds.

“I will beg Parliament to discipline the Finance Minister, the impunity is too much. He must be disciplined so that the government will suffer and the president will see the consequences of what his relative is doing.

“To see the impact on Ghana, let the President know that besides and beyond Ken Ofori-Atta, we have potential Finance Ministers who can handle Ghana, what is this? He will not go to Parliament but expects the House to pass his bills?” Omanhene quizzed on the June 20 edition of Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show.

He also slammed the level of prioritization that Ofori-Atta gives to issues around the National Cathedral as compared to his evasive tactics whenever he is called upon to respond to issues in Parliament.

“A mere Finance Minister, you have disrespected us and now extended our attitude to Parliament, but you can go and conduct Cathedral business,” he lamented.

Told of the Minister’s excuse for failing to appear before Parliament, he retorted: “What issues has he raised, is he not sitting on GTV doing Cathedral business? Go to Parliament and respond to the issues and stop the Cathedral business.”

Speaker Alban Bagbin announced last week that all parliamentary business concerning the finance ministry has been put on hold over the minister’s failure to show up in parliament on Thursday, 16 June 2022 to brief the house on some issues within his ministry.

Ofori-Atta was scheduled to answer 16 questions and deliver an important statement on the floor but put in a last-minute plea to be excused. The government’s use of COVID-19 funds was prominent among the questions he had to answer.

“Until we go through the accountability process, we will not take that motion … Until he comes to respond to the questions and to submit the statement giving an explanation as to how the money has been applied, we will not entertain any business from that ministry,” Mr Bagbin declared.

Defending Mr Ofori-Atta, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said: “He pleaded that he should see them [the questions] first, read them and appreciate what the technical people have brought and if there are any other matters to be added on, he does so … so that he will be able to give a comprehensive response.”

“For anybody to jump to the conclusion that the minister is running away from responsibility, I shudder to think of how that is coming about”, the parliamentary affairs minister added.

Ofori-Atta has now been rescheduled to appear before the house on Wednesday, June 22.