Removing Ken Ofori-Atta doesn't mean Ghana will become better - Prof. Joseph Osafo

Professor Joseph Osafo says removing Ken Ofori-Atta from office is not a panacea for Ghana's economic hardships.

Although he supports the view that the Finance Minister should tender his resignation, he, however, opines that Ghanaians shouldn't raise their hopes too high.

According to him, it is fallacious for any person to think that Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta's removal will translate into Ghana's economy becoming better.

Speaking to host Nana Yaw Kesseh on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" discussion programme, Prof. Joseph Osafo wished the Finance Minister would, after the public hearing on the censure motion filed against him by the Minority in Parliament, "announce to Ghanaians that he has resigned" in the interest of the nation and his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He noted that the Minister doing this would show "statesmanship".

However, the Senior Psychologist at the University of Ghana emphasized that "one thing that we need to be minded with is that removing Ken doesn't mean our economy has become better".

"The expectations that when Ken is gone, then it will be better may not be so but in the interest of the public good, I would feel that when my brother is done with his responses and he takes the backstage, it is not bad at all," he added.

Also, giving his take on the posture of President Nana Addo on the calls for Ken Ofori-Atta's dismissal, Prof. Osafo believed the President's refusal to remove him even upon the request by the Majority Caucus in Parliament may be because he (President Nana Addo) wants fair justice.

He stated that the President is an ardent believer in rule of law, therefore he may have refused to sack the Minister because he wants him to redeem himself from the allegations levelled against him.

Nonetheless, Prof. Joseph Osafo strongly believes the President should let the Finance Minister go.

"I've seen that that unflinching attitude for law' by the President but "when it gets to a point, it can kill spontaneity," he said.