Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, MP for Cape Coast South, has joined calls for the resignation of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
He claimed that, while the minister has an impressive record as a private businessman, his performance as the country’s economic manager has been abysmal.
Ricketts-Hagan said on The Big Issue in response to news that Ghana has begun talks with the IMF for a bailout program that the Finance Minister has failed to demonstrate control of the economy in order to avoid the country’s current situation.
Mr. Hagan says it’s best for the Finance Minister to resign himself than wait for him to be removed from office.
“I think he (Ken Ofori-Atta) is a beleaguered Finance Minister, and his performance has been abysmal.
“He has done well for himself as a private businessman, but in the public sector space, he has failed.
“The best thing for him to do is to resign. He doesn’t believe in the IMF.
“He has made a lot of statements against the IMF. The buck stops with him, and he must go,” Ricketts-Hagan said
On 1st July, 2022, the Ministry of Information announced that the president has issued an order for the negotiations between IMF and the government to begin.
According to the Ministry, Ken Ofori-Atta has been granted the lead negotiator for the upcoming negotiations.
Turning to the IMF for funds to support projects was a decision by the government and this has caused many upturns such that citizens have called for the removal of the Finance Minister.
In view of this, the former president, John Dramani Mahama has advised the president to reshuffle his ministers and if possible, retire the Finance Minister.
Ricketts-Hagan has proposed that, the Finance Minister should not be the one to lead this negotiations.
“I think he (Ken Ofori-Atta) is a beleaguered Finance Minister, and his performance has been abysmal.
“He has done well for himself as a private businessman, but in the public sector space, he has failed.
“The best thing for him to do is to resign. He doesn’t believe in the IMF.
“He has made a lot of statements against the IMF. The buck stops with him, and he must go,” Ricketts-Hagan added.
