Our problem is structural: Nothing will happen even if you bring Angel Gabriel as Finance Minister

Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Mr Kwesi Pratt has said Ghana’s problem which has seen it descend low on the economic space is a structural one and nothing, not even a new Finance Minister can change it, if the problems are not addressed.

Speaking on Pan African TV’s Good Morning Africa monitored by GhanaPlus.com on Thursday, November 10, he said not even the biblical archangel Angel Gabriel will be able to help the country when brought down to serve as the Minister of Finance.

“….. Besides, I believe firmly that what is happening is reflection of a structuring problem. Structural economic problem and if we don’t tackle the structural economic problem and when I talk about structural problem, I am talking about the imposition of new liberal order within the bold realm of a neo-colonial state so if you don’t resolve that problem, you can bring the Angel Gabriel to the Finance Ministry as Finance Minister nothing will happen,” Mr Pratt said.

Minority Group to pass a vote of ensure on Finance Minister

He made the comment when contributing to discussions on the Minority’s decision to pass a vote censure to remove the Finance Minister today, November 10 and the subsequent decision by the Majority caucus not to take part in the vote despite their earlier ultimatum and call for his removal by the President.

The Minority group in Parliament is bent on removing the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta following the country’s economic difficulties which began early this year.

They have cited despicable conflict of interest, unconstitutional withdrawal from the consolidated fund, illegal payment of oil revenue into offshore accounts, deliberate and dishonest misrepresentation of economic figures to Parliament, fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi, alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude as well as gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy as their reasons.

The Majority group also earlier asked the Finance Minister to resign or be forced out of office by the President but have gone into agreement with the President to hold on their demand until Mr Ofori-Atta concludes negotiations for the country’s bailout programme with the International Monetary Fund(IMF).

Removing Ofori-Atta won’t solve any problem

But Mr Pratt is of the view, removing the Finance Minister will not change anything unless the structural problems within the country’s economy are properly identified and addressed.

“I don’t think the removal of the Finance Minister will solve any problem, I don’t think so. Everything the Finance Minister has implemented so far, at least at the level of theory has been at the direction of cabinet and the President,” Mr Pratt said.

“It will be strange if you have the situation where the Finance Minister alone was deciding on economic policies and deciding on economic measures and implementing them that will be worst done a banana republic; I don’t think we have gotten there. These matters go to cabinet for a decision and therefore, cabinet chaired by the President is collectively responsible for what is happening,” the celebrated media personality said.