Vote of censure: Minority to push for secret vote as it threatens to go the long haul

The Minority in Parliament has expressed its disappointment in President Akufo-Addo for failing to dismiss Ken Ofori-Atta as finance minister in spite of calls from all quarters.

Speaking to the media in Parliament, Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu vowed to see a motion of censure against the finance minister regardless of the deficiency in numbers on his side.

A joint statement signed by the Majority Chief Whip, Annoh-Dompreh and NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said agreement has been reached that the demand by the majority be stood down until the conclusion of the round of negotiation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which would feed into the 2023 budget.

The NPP MPs were also requested to sit for “the presentation of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on the 24th November 2022 by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on behalf of the President Akufo-Addo and subsequent presentation and passage of the Appropriation Bill.”

But addressing a Press Conference today, the minority leader said they will go the full hog in pushing for a vote of censure despite the majority MPs abandoning their threat to boycott the presentation of the Budget.

“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will go down in history as the President who most disrespected public opinion. Because as far as we are concerned public opinion is not supportive and favorable to the continuous stay in office if he fails to sack the Finance Minister, Hon Ken Ofori-Atta.

“We feel let down and betrayed by the Majority caucus who have shown no wit in supporting us within the letter and spirit of the 1992 Constitution. We are not abandoning our censorship motion. We are in it for the long haul and we will insist that the letter and spirit of Article 82 is fully respected and an outcome determined by secret vote,” Tamale South MP stated.

He continued: “Ultimately after a debate on the Committee’s report is submitted to plenary. The country probably must run and will run and will not necessarily be grounded to a halt by an irresponsible minority.”