Ofori-Atta did nothing wrong by implementing DDEP – NPP communicator

The Former Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Dennis Miracles Aboagye has said it is unfair to infer that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta erred with the processes leading to the implementation of the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

Sharing his view on a private members’ motion filed by some five members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament, the New Patriotic Party communicator explained that the Finance Minister has not overstepped any legal requirement with regard to the DDEP.

Speaking on The Big Issue on Citi TV/Citi FM, Mr Aboagye intimated that the salient question we should be asking is whether Ofori-Atta “has gone beyond the limit or level which he should have gone to Parliament, or he is still within that limit.”

He said it is inappropriate to demand that the Finance Minister should come to Parliament every step of the way in the implementation of the debt programme to inform the House.

He stressed that what is needed is to report to the House after all negotiations have been reached.

“If the Finance Minister is even coming to Parliament to come and seek approval if there is the need to, he can’t just come to Parliament and say I am going to do debt restructuring, he would have gone into some negotiations before bringing it to Parliament.”

He added that the five Members of Parliament who have petitioned to ensure the Finance Minister lays the full details of the programme before Parliament “should not let it look as if they have something against the government because the Ministry [of Finance] informed Parliament it was going to do debt restructuring.”

“I don’t think we should say that the Finance Minister has done anything wrong because even if there is anything wrong, maybe in his own understanding and interpretation of how we should get the processes done is what he has done,” he added.