Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta
Professor Appiagyei-Atua of the University of Ghana – Legon Law School has rated the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as the worst-performing ministry for the year 2022.
Speaking in a Joy News interview, Prof Appiagyei-Atua pointed out some failures of the ministry which he noted have largely led to Ghana’s economy becoming a mismanaged one.
“To me, I think if you want to pick the ministries and rate them in terms of the ministry that didn’t perform best at all, I think the ministry of finance and economic planning will come first,” he stated.
On what informed his rating, the law lecturer cited among other things the depreciation of the cedi, the failure of the controversial E-Levy failed to meet its expected revenue target and the circumstance around Ghana’s request for an IMF bailout.
“For example, you take at the beginning of the year where the cedi was and how much it has depreciated to this level and the fact that you would not hear the government or the minister for finance making any concrete decisions and taking concrete steps to arrest the decline of the cedi, that is one major negative for the minister for finance and economic planning,” Prof. Appiagyei-Atua said.
In the case of the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, Prof. Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua rated his performance below average.
“On a score of one to ten, I think I will rate the minister at between two and three,” he said.
With 2022 ending with some New Patriotic Party members of parliament insisting on the removal of the finance minister, it is expected that 2023 will continue with further agitation from within the ruling party.
In parliament, the minority made up of opposition members of the house in 2022 filed a censure motion which failed in a vote.
GA/FNOQ
