Ibrahim Akolga, a member of the NPP’s Upper East Regional Communication Team, argues that the requests for Ken Ofori Atta’s resignation are unwarranted despite the widespread outcry over his extended tenure as finance minister.
Mr. Akolgo praised the Finance Minister’s skills and said that he is the finest person to lead Ghana in negotiating a favourable deal with the IMF and creating a comprehensive budget statement and financial strategy for 2023.
He said this when he spoke on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show. According to Mr. Akolgo, the NDC and the majority of Ghanaians should be blamed for the sudden rush to the IMF.
“The reason why Ken Ofori Atta, all of us, believed that we were not going to the IMF was that we introduced e-levy. The Minority Leader came out and asked his people to applaud him because they were able to hold the government down with regard to mobilising funds for the e-levy. For January where we wanted the e-levy, it pushed us down somewhere in May so we have lost a lot. We have not got what we want from the e-levy; the estimated target. What do we do? Should we allow the country to go down on its knees totally? No, that is why we went to the IMF.”
“Already, he [Ken Ofori Atta] is the one leading the negotiations. why not retain him?” he said.
There’s no rush, according to Mr. Akolgo. “We need to take our time to do the right thing. For now, the president has to study so many things. The MPs have given the signal so the Minister would have to up his game.”
The NPP communicator went on to say, “I think that the Minister has done very well. He started very well and we all know. He is doing very well. What is happening currently, people think he is the cause meanwhile, he is not.”
Mr. Akolgo suggested to the Finance Minister that rather than be fired, he could voluntarily step down. He went on to say that when the Finance minister is replaced, prices of goods on the market would fall.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
