Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, has said that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will never fire Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to Dr Assibey-Yeboah, the president will not sack Ofori-Atta because he does not think he (Ofori-Atta) has failed, contrary to the assertions of some members of the NPP, including the party’s parliamentarians.
Speaking in an interview on Adom TV, monitored by GhanaWeb, on Tuesday, the ex-NPP MP added that Ofori-Atta is also not going to resign because the policies he implemented were on behalf of the president and decisions of the cabinet.
“The president says Ken is doing a fantastic job. He says he is doing an excellent job. He also never said he would fire him (Ofori-Atta) during the revolt by the NPP MPs, he told them to let him finish the IMF negotiations so that they could revisit the issue.
“… He (Ofori-Atta) is not going anywhere. He is not going to resign; why should he resign? The guy is doing an excellent job, according to the president.
“The finance minister represents the president. The other time I held one of the MPs saying that they told Ofori-Atta to reduce the E-Levy to 1.5 percent but he did not listen so he should be sacked. The budget is the president’s budget and the cabinet met to determine the E-levy rate. Is this a basis for Ofori-Atta to resign or be sacked,” he said in Twi.
Dr. Assibey-Yeboah, a former chairman of Parliament's Finance Committee, also stated that he has information indicating that the position of Minister of State in Charge of Finance, which became vacant following the firing of Charles Adu Boahene, will be filled within the week.
Watch the interview below:
IB/BOG