Don’t vote in censure against Ofori-Atta – NPP bars Majority caucus

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has directed the Party’s Members of Parliament to abstain from a vote of censure moved by the Minority in Parliament against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

In a statement signed by the Mr Justin Kodua Frimpong, General Secretary, NPP, the Party asked the leadership of the Majority Caucus to ensure that no member of the Caucus partook in the exercise.

The Minority has served notice that it would move the vote of censure against Mr Ofori-Atta on Thursday, November 10, 2022 after filing a motion to that effect last week.

The Minority cited poor economic management, non-performance as among the basis for the move.
However, the motion requires two-thirds majority to pass, which means that the Minority would require the support of MPs on the majority side to become successful.
Currently, both the NPP and NDC have 137 seats each in Parliament.

The NPP described the move by the Minority as “ill-motivated” and “mischievous”.
The Party said the removal of Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, who was spearheading Ghana’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund “may adversely impact the progress made thus far”.

“…Neither the NPP nor its Members of Parliament will lend support to this mischievous move by the NDC legislators as it is one of their many ill-motivated and self-serving but unpatriotic moves to sabotage the NPP government and frustrate the administration of the country,” it said.

“The leadership of the NPP wishes to assure our Members of Parliament and the Ghanaian populace that there are ongoing internal engagements aimed at addressing legitimate concerns expressed by various stakeholders regarding the management of the economy, including calls for the resignation or dismissal of the Minister for Finance,” the Party added.

A group of Members of the Majority in Parliament earlier called for the removal of the Finance Minister, saying the move would help to restore hope in the financial sector and reverse the downward trend of the economy.

The group, however, ‘rescinded’ its call after meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the matter.