Ofori-Atta’s vetting should not be used to examine 2021 budget – Gatsi

Dean of the University of Cape Coast Business School, Professor John Gatsi has asked members of the Appointments Committee of Parliament not to use the vetting of Finance Minister-designate Ken Ofori-Atta as a platform to examine the just approved budget statement for the 2021 fiscal year.

Professor Gatsi told TV3’s Etornam Sey ahead of the vetting that “the vetting should not be examination of the budget.”

He further stated that the vetting is “Crucial because of the requirement of the Public Financial Act, it is crucial because it provide opportunity to clarify certain issues pertinent to Ghanaians.”

For his part, Mr Courage Martey, a Senior Researcher at the Databank has said he expects issues of the financial sector clean up to dominate the vetting of Finance Minister-designate Ken Ofori-Atta today Thursday, March 25.

He also told Etornam ahead of the vetting that he will be very surprised if these issues do not dominate the screening.

“Issue of the financial sector clean up will live with us for a very long time and so I will be surprised if they don’t come up,” he said.

The Minister of Finance in President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s first term was scheduled to be vetted on Tuesday, February 16 but was taken ill.

He had to be flown to the US, where he received treatment for post-Covid-19 complications.

He returned home on Sunday, March 21.

A statement from the Public Affairs Department of Parliament announced that the Committee will hold its public hearing to consider Mr Ofori-Atta as Minister of Finance.

It said attendance will be strictly by invitation with all Covid-19 protocols to be adhered to.