NDC Milton Keynes Chairman the UK Conrad Dumbah has lashed out at the leadership of the New Patriotic Party NPP calling on its MPs not to take part in Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta censure.
The censure of the Finance is an expression of strong disapproval of his leadership of the ministry by parliament.
In parliamentary procedure, it is a debatable main motion that could be adopted by a majority decision, but the NPP has warned its MPs not to partake in.
The party in a statement by its General Secretary, Justine Kodua Frimpong 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.
The NPP described the move by the Minority as “ill-motivated” and “mischievous”.
It says the removal of the finance minister, who is spearheading Ghana’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund “may adversely impact the progress made thus far”.
However, the NDC in the UK thinks otherwise, its Milton Keynes Chairman Conrad Dumbah speaking on Ultimate 106.9 FM with show host Julius Caesar Anadem believes this is an insult not only to democracy but many Ghanaians.
“The party (NPP) by doing this has not done itself any favors, this is not the party of resident JA Kuffour that we know, this is not the party of Honorable JH Mensah and Adu Boahen that we know, the party that championed accountability and held the first NDC administration to accountability”
“We have a finance minister that has wrecked the economy, a finance minister that has destroyed us and taken us to over 40% inflation, got us kicked out of the capital market for the first time in our history and we cannot borrow, a finance minister that visited untold hardship on Ghanaians, I think the least the party could have done was to talk to him behind the scenes to honorable resign and let someone come in and continue” he said.
“We are not saying the entire government should resign, we are saying the finance minister should resign, unless the NPP is telling us they do not have anybody in their midst except the Finance Minister to do the job, so I think the statement issued by the party general secretary is an insult, is basically adding insult to injury, it is rubbing salt in the womb of Ghanaians, we are all suffering, the man responsible for our suffering should be relieved, clearly Ofori Atta is flailing and is drowning”
“He has go to the point where he is clueless and doesn’t know what to do, there is no plan of how we are getting out of this and yet the man is at post because Nana Addo insist he stays, I saluted the majority when they insisted he must go”
Mr. Dumbah who is a hopeful for the NDC UK chapter Chairman, believes if the majority group carries through the position of the party, it will be a disservice to themselves and their constituents.
“The majority in parliament if they stick to the position of the party will be a disservice and mistrust of Ghanaians, they should do the right thing and follow the NDC MP’s and do the right thing by censoring this minister so he can be thrown out.”
The NDC minority served notice of censure against Mr. Ofori-Atta 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.
Earlier a group of Members of the Majority in Parliament numbering about 80 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.
Source: Ghana/Kasapaonline.com/102.5FM
