Anti-Ofori-Atta NPP MPs have destroyed their credibility – Dr. Amoako Baah

Dr. Richard Amoako Baah, a Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has indicated that the majority of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentarians have lost their credibility.

His accusation relates to a recent U-turn on the part of the lawmakers who had on two occasions in the last month demanded the immediate dismissal of Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta over economic hardship.

Speaking to Accra-based Joy FM, the lecturer questioned why the MPs did not rescind their decision earlier and wondered further why the party executives did not approach the MPs early on when they decided to boycott the 2023 Budget reading should the Finance Minister present it.

“What is it that made them disagree before and how did they come back to this decision? They have brought party politics into the government … If you were going to change your mind, then you should do this earlier and why didn’t the party elders talk to them at an earlier time instead of this last minute?” Dr. Amoako Baah asked.

He noted that the latest decision taken by the anti-Ofori-Atta NPP MPs has also destroyed the credibility of the party.

“They [NPP MPs] have destroyed NPP's credibility, they have separated the supporters, grassroots people of the party from themselves. Now it is very difficult for people to even see anything they say possible," he observed.

Dr. Amoako Baah's sentiment comes after some 98 NPP MPs rescinded their decision to boycott the 2023 budget presentation.

GhanaWeb earlier gathered that the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, risked meeting an empty Parliament when he appears before the House to present the budget.

According to our sources, both Caucuses were likely to be absent themselves, which would have made it impossible for the minister to present the budget because there will be a lack of quorum as required by the Constitution.

The MPs made this U-turn after meeting with the national leadership of the party, who urged them to hold off on their demand until the 2023 Budget statement was read and appropriated.

But Dr. Amoako Baah is of the view that the Parliamentarian’s action is not a good thing.

He explained that this is because the MPs represent the party more than the executives and therefore could have maintained their stance.



PEN/SARA