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The embattled Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta has refuted the minority’s claims that he presented false data on the state of the economy to Parliament and other stakeholders.
He made the denial whiles responding to the allegation of misreporting data to Parliament, one of seven claims filed against him by the Minority and their demand for the removal of Mr Ofori-Atta.
Mr Ofori-Atta, in his statement, told the eight-member ad hoc committee of Parliament investigating the grounds against him that “It is untrue and simply untrue.”
“The issue of misreporting is not just unfortunate but also untrue, I never misreported data to parliament. I wish to say that deliberate misreporting is completely not true. I have served with integrity,” the finance minister said in response to the allegation.
He added that he has served Ghana with “integrity and honesty” and would never engage in deliberately misinforming Parliament on the country’s finances.
Commenting on the hardship in the country in his opening remarks, Mr Ofori-Atta admitted the current economic woes and apologised to Ghanaians.
“As the person, President Akufo-Addo has put in charge of this economy, I feel the pain personally, professionally and in my soul… I see and feel the terrible impact of the rising prices of goods and services on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians.
“I feel the stress of running a business, but it is the strength and perseverance of the Ghanaian people that inspire me and my colleagues in government every morning.”
“That is what gives me the strength to press on and to find solutions and relief for Ghanaians to the myriad of problems that our country and the rest of the world are facing, especially since March 2020. Co-chairs,” he told the committee.
He added “let me use this opportunity to say to the Ghanaian people what I believe, with courage, every finance minister around the world, may wish to say to their people now: ‘I am truly sorry”, he said.
