Reject Ofori-Atta’s nomination – CSOs to Parliament

A group of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have petitioned the Appointments Committee of Parliament to reject the nomination of Ken Ofori-Atta as minister-designate for Finance.

The CSOs alleged that Mr Ofori-Atta, when in office, acted in ways that violated the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA), Fiscal Responsibility Act (2018), Public Procurement Act, Act 914, the Financial Administration Act, Act 654, the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and several other misconducts as explained in this petition.

“We the undersigned, the Alliance For Social Equity and Public Accountability-ASEPA, the Coalition of Aggrieved Customers of Menzgold-COAM, the Coalition of Aggrieved Customers of GoldCoast Securities, the Coalition of Aggrieved Savings and Loans Customers-CASLOC officially petitions the appointment committee of Parliament relative to the President’s nomination of Mr.Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister-designate.

“On the 22nd of January, 2021, the Presidency issued a communiqué informing the general public of the submission of a list of nominees to Parliament through the Speaker to be considered and vetted for the various ministerial portfolios.

Among the list of names submitted to the Speaker is Ken Ofori-Atta, the former Finance Minister and Finance Minister-designate herein referred to as the respondent of this petition.

“It is our contention that the respondent occupied the position of Finance Minister of the Republic of Ghana, between 2017-2021, during such period the respondent acted in ways and manners that violated the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA), Fiscal Responsibility Act (2018), Public Procurement Act, Act 914, the Financial Administration Act, Act 654, the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and several other misconducts as explained in this petition.

“Pursuant to existing protocols available to the Public to send memoranda to committees of Parliament during exercises such as the vetting of public officers, we wish to file this petition accordingly and to pray that the appointments committee rejects out rightly the nomination of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister-designate on the grounds of Incompetence, Over-exposure to the financial sector of the economy, record of abuse of office and gross misbehaviour, and reckless violations of Public Financial Laws and Criminal misconducts among others,” their petition said.

It added “The respondent as the Minister of Finance from 2017-2021 supervised the biggest banking crisis in the history of this Country. This led to the total collapse of over 7 indigenous banks, 23 savings and loans companies, over 300 microfinance companies and about 20 fund management companies.

“We believe that the way and manner the so-called banking sector clean up took place was reckless, unlawful and violated specific provisions of Act 930(the banking Act), Act 929(Securities Industries Act) and other relevant laws. The economic crisis that followed thereof from the loss of jobs, investments and an unprecedented liquidity challenge set Ghana up for a very painful yet avoidable period that still lingers on.

“In this specific case of the banks, there are several instances where the conduct of the finance minister directly played a key role in their crisis and later collapse. Specific cases such as the collapse of Unibank, Heritage Bank and GN bank cannot be over-emphasized.”