A political science lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) is calling on the Members of Parliament (MPs) seeking the removal of the Finance Minister to rethink their course and not waste their efforts.

According to Dr Jonathan Asante Okyere, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not ready to heed their call for the removal of the Finance Minister.

"I don’t see Ken Ofori-Atta going anywhere in Akufo-Addo’s government," he said.

The political science lecturer made the call for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs to rethink their call while commenting on renewed calls for the removal of the Finance Minister after successfully clinching the $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal.

He spoke on the mid-day news on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. 

He argued that the president’s posturing on the Ken Must Go saga is as if he wants to bow out with the Finance Minister.

He noted that the president will soon call the bluff of the NPP MPs seeking the removal of the Finance Minister.

"Especially when the 80 MPs pushing for the Ken Must Go [agenda] are perceived to be Mr Alan Kyerematen's supporters," he explained. 

Some Members of Parliament belonging to the New Patriotic Party are set to convene this week to reiterate their demands for the resignation of Finance Minister.

Around 80 MPs from the party believe that the Finance Minister should step down following the successful negotiation of the International Monetary Fund bailout.

Ghana recently received the first instalment of $600 million out of the total $3 billion three-year extended credit support from the IMF.

Eugene Boakye Antwi, one of the MPs pushing for Ofori-Atta's resignation, stressed that President should fulfil his promise of letting the Finance Minister go.

Antwi stated, “My job is to expose the failings I think are happening at the Finance Minister… Principle and conviction alone should make you resign.”

Background:

In 2022, Andy Appiah Kubi, the Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim-North, along with other NPP MPs, called for the removal of the Finance Minister due to the country's economic challenges and even threatened to boycott the 2023 budget presentation.

However, after a meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, they softened their stance and agreed to allow the Minister to continue in office to finalize Ghana's bailout agreement with the IMF.