The National Chairman of the Progressive Peopple’s Party (PPP), Nana Ofori Owusu, has counselled the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to restore the licenses of banks he deliberarly collapsed and resign from his position as Finance Minister on moral grounds.
Ken Ofori-Atta has been at the receiving end of a barrage of attacks which include calling on him to give up the seat so a competent person can take over.
A censure motion which sought to remove him from the ministry failed as the Minority in Parliament could not garner the needed number of votes to get him ousted.
The cedi has started gaining grounds against the dollar to the surprise of most Ghanaians leading to calls for the Finance Minister to remain at post.
But Nana Ofori who was speaking at the 10th Delegates Congress of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said its time the Finance Minister resigns from his seat and gives competent persons the opportunity to run the economy of Ghana.
“I am calling on the Finance Minister to resign from his position on moral grounds, he has failed this nation and the fact that his company has benefited from loans to this nation is something that is embarassing to all of us as Ghanaians, it’s embarrassing to the International community as well…,” he said.
According to him, the country keeps borrowing because a company belonging to the Finance Minister has been benefiting from the providing advisory services to the nation anytime it goes to the International market for more loans.
“He must step down on moral grounds…,” he charged further.
Mr Ofori further outlined several decisions that must be taken for a better Ghana after the Finance Minister steps down:
“We must stop borrowing, we should not start any new projects but must complete what has already been started; suspend all non-essential projects…cut the executive cost and reduce the number of ministers to 14 and the executive ministers not more than 14….,” he recommended.
Nana Ofori Owusu also called for downsizing of the number of Jubilee House staff by 60% and the ban on importation of non-essential goods as well as reducing taxes to encourage local production of certain essential goods.
Restoring the licenses of indegenous financial institutions whose licenses were taken away as part of the banking sector clean up, the PPP Chairman said is part of the key measures to ensuring that the country gets back on track and gets a well-oiled economy.
This point, he added, is very necessary as “evidence shows that competitors were targeted and their businesses destroyed without the nation thinking of alternate means of providing for the Ghanaians who worked in these companies.”
The PPP Chair in concluding his solidarity message to the NDC further urged the party to implement his suggestions if ‘by any chance the NDC gets to the Jubilee House before us’.
