Minority Gives President Ultimatum

The Minority NDC in Parliament has given President John Agyekum Kufuor up to the end of this week to invoke the appointment of the three “apostles” of the debacle $1 million International Financial Consortium loan. Failing to do so, the group is threatening to file a motion of censure on the two Ministers.

The officials are Senior Minister, J. H. Mensah, Finance Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo and Governor of Bank of Ghana, Dr Paul Acquah.

Minority Leader, Alban Bagbin told the Heritage newspaper that anything short of dismissal would compel the minority to introduce a motion on the floor of the House next week to censure the two Ministers.

He cited article 82 of the 1992 constitution to back their position. Clause 1 of the said article states “Parliament may, by a resolution supported by the votes of no less than two-thirds of all members of Parliament, pass a vote of censure on a Minister of State”.

The resort to the censure of the Ministers will be the first of its kind under this constitution. Justifying their move, the Minority Leader said the two Ministers were not truthful and honest with Parliament when the IFC memo came before the house for debate.

This, he said denied Parliament of information on the issue. Mr Bagbin maintained that the involvement of the government in the IFC deal has dented the country’s image, especially with her development partners.