Speaker refers motion for vote of censure on Finance Minister to ad-hoc committee

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has referred the motion for a Vote of Censure for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to an eight-member- ad-hoc committee. 

The committee, co-chaired by Dominic Ayinem the MP for Bolgatanga East, and the Adansi-Asokwa MP, KT Hammond has seven days to report back to the House.

This comes after the Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu moved the motion for vote of censure against the Minister on the floor of the House yesterday. 

Earlier, the Majority side had raised preliminary objections, saying the attempt by the Minority to move the motion would amount to injustice, since the Minister wouldn’t be given adequate time to prepare his defence. 

But Speaker Bagbin says the formation of the ad-hoc committee will allow Finance Minister an opportunity to defend himself in the presence of a counsel. 

“The evidence will be placed before the committee. The Minister will have the opportunity to defend himself. A report will be presented to the House, and we will debate that report,” the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin said.

According to the speaker, a lawyer/counsel for the minister is not allowed to perform his duty on the floor of the house unless only at the committee level.

Background

The Minority in Parliament on October 25, 2022, filed the motion in accordance with Article 82 of the Constitution, 1992. 

According to the Memo signed by all the 137 members of the Minority and addressed to the speaker, they indicate among others that;

There is a despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages.

Also, they indicate unconstitutional withdrawals from the consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the Constitution.

Additionally, the illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts is a flagrant violation of Article 176 of the Constitution.

Further to the above, they cite a deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament and fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi.

 Finally, they mention of the alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis.