A member of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) Bernard Mornah has said that the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and his Deputy John Kumah must also leave office immediately.
According to him, Mr Ofori-Atta is not the answer to the economic challenges facing Ghanaians.
Contributing to a discussion on the sacking of the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry Charles Adu Boahen on TV3, Mr. Mornah said: “Investors don’t have confidence in the economy because of Ofori-Atta.”
He added: “John Kumah said they will not go to the IMF but today we are at the IMF.”
Meanwhile, Kofi Tontoh, a member of the communications team of the Akufo-Addo administration, has said the move by the President to remove Mr Adu Boahen was decisive.
He said this proves that the president does not condone corruption.
Kofi Tontoh however indicated that Mr Adu Boahen should be allowed to have his day before the Special Prosecutor to respond to all the allegations.
“This is a decisive decision by the President.
“It is an attempt to show that the President doesn’t condone corruption but let us allow Adu Boahen to have his day and once all the facts come out if any further action is needed it will be taken.”
President Akufo-Addo on Monday, November 14 sacked Mr Adu Boahen as Minister of State at Finance Ministry.
This comes after he appeared to be scandalized in an Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ ‘Galamsey Economy’ expose.
In a press statement signed by the Director Of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, the President’s decision followed a discussion with the Minister.
The president has further referred the issue to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigation.
“After being made aware of the allegations levelled against the Minister in the exposé, ‘Galamsey Economy’, the President spoke to Mr Adu Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment, and also to refer the matter to the Special Prosecutor for further investigations.
“The President thanked Mr Adu Boahen for his strong services to his government since his appointment in 2017, and wished him well in his future endeavours,” the statement concluded.
In the said documentary by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which is yet to be aired, Mr Adu Boahen is said to have told the undercover investigators that Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia needs just $200,000 token as an appearance fee before meeting with supposed businessmen.
“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff? I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020,” Charles Adu Boahen is alleged to have said in the soon-to-be-aired video.
The video will be aired later today (Monday, November 14, 2022) at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Prior to the termination, Vice President Dr Bawumia in a Facebook post dismissed the allegations and called for the immediate dismissal of the Minister.
“My attention has been drawn to a video by Anas Aremeyaw Anas (as posted on his social media handle) showing the Minister of State for Finance, Mr Charles Adu Boahen, apparently using my name, inter alia, to peddle influence and collect money from supposed investors.
“I would like to state that if what the minister is alleged to have said is accurately captured in the video, then his position as a minister of state is untenable. He should be dismissed summarily and investigated,” the Vice President directed.
Meanwhile, the dismissed Minister of State at the Finance Ministry has denied using the name of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to receive bribes from investors.
Mr Adu Boahen maintained that “substantively I have not been involved in this act of which I am being accused”.
He explained that this was merely an attempt to entrap him and others back in 2018.
Mr Boahen added that he would cooperate with the relevant authorities for full investigations to prove his innocence.