The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has allegedly found some inconsistencies in the macroeconomic data that the government’s economic management team has supplied, according to former deputy finance minister Mona Quartey.
She claims that these revelations raise credibility concerns that may have an impact on Ghana’s continuing discussions with the IMF.
The former NDC appointee voiced her displeasure regarding the actions of the economic management team during discussions on Newsfile on Saturday.
“There has to be a change of the economic management team. This team is no longer credible. This is a team that has lied, not only to the people of Ghana outside your party, but they’ve also lied to you [Akufo-Addo]. And the IMF has found them out. The numbers they gave; the macro-economic numbers they gave were not correct”, she said.
The financial expert expressed her concerns and questioned why the President had not removed the members of the economic management team, who, she emphasised, had failed to do their duties.
She continued by saying that Ken Ofori-Atta, the finance minister, had no business holding the position after overseeing the current economic downturn.
The remarks made by Mona Quartey come as a large number of Ghanaians are fervently calling for the Finance Minister to be fired.
His detractors claim that Mr. Ofori-Atta has failed miserably and has no right to be in charge of managing Ghana’s interactions with the IMF.
About 80 members of the ruling party’s parliament expressed this stance earlier this week when they petitioned the president to fire Ken Ofori-Atta.
Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, the MPs threatened that if the President does not pay attention to their demands, they will not support any government business.
However, after meeting with the President, the MPs abruptly changed their positions when the President pleaded with them to give the Finance Minister time to wrap up the ongoing talks with the IMF and present the 2023 Budget Statement.
Regarding this development, Mona Quartey expressed her disappointment at the stance taken by the aforementioned MPs.
In the meantime, Minority Members of Parliament’s vote of censure to oust controversial Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta was accepted by Speaker of the House Alban Bagbin.
Following the Majority MP’s requests that the Finance Minister and the Minister of State in charge of Finance at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen, be removed, the Minority tabled a motion to that effect on Tuesday.
They contend that Mr. Ofori-Atta is incompetent and responsible for Ghanaians’ current economic troubles.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said that they are hoping that the proceedings to oust the Finance Minister will be finished by November 10th.
Adam Ibrahim
Adam is passionate about politics and issues that affect governance. As a writer, he channels his energies into writing on pertinent national and political issues for the good of the Ghanaian people.