The Minority in Parliament has been challenged to trigger a parliamentary procedure that could lead to the sacking of the Finance minister accused of conflict of interest in the $2.5bn bond issuance.
Throwing the challenge is New Patriotic Party MP for Bantama, Daniel Okyem Aboagye, who predicts the move is bound to fail.
In an unprecedented threat, the Minority caucus says they are ready to trigger Article 82 of the 1992 constitution which is a motion of censorship.
In that motion, they need an overwhelming support in Parliament for the dismissal of the Finance minister.
Ken Ofori-Atta, they say, has been indicted in the CHRAJ report which says the Finance minister's "extensive interest" in the securities market raises "potential for conflict of interest".
Holding on to this key revelation, the Minority MPs say their 11-month accusatory advocacy has been vindicated.
They have gleaned from the report that the minister breached Article 181 of the 1992 constitution and Section 56 of the Public Financial Management Act 2016.
They also accuse him of failing to adhere to BoG guidelines when he gave only one day notice of trading in the bond when the regulations required two-weeks' notice
All these breaches occurred when he went to raise $2.5 billion bond on the international market.
They said these breaches are not simply mistakes but rather "willful" violations. They want the "honourable minister to do the honourable thing" and resign within 14 days.
Otherwise, they will go for the 'nuclear option' of moving the censorship motion. But the 106 MPs will need at least 77 NPP MPs to join in their nearly one-year-old push to kick out Ken Ofori-Atta.
But South Dayi NDC MP Rockson Nelson Dafiamepkor is confident of getting the needed support from across the aisle in the chamber.
"It shouldn't surprise you that there are a lot of MPs on the Majority who find favour with our position", he claimed.
He said since the vote on censorship is expected to be a secret ballot, there is the potential for a surprise outcome, he said stressing some NPP MPs are not happy.
But Daniel Aboagye laughed off this possibility in an interview on Joy FM Top Story Wednesday.
"I think they are not serious," he told host Evans Mensah and said the NDC MPs are "trying to be relevant".
He said the CHRAJ report presents an opportunity to improve the laws and rules on bond issuance and not an opportunity to score partisan points.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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The npp ministers and members must be attacked because they are liars and hipocrates, they don't say and speak the truth.
NDC MPs since the coming of Nana Addo has made it their target to find fault and attack the key personalities of Akuffo Addo government. They attacked Bawumia Digital Mapping of Ghana as 419. They also accused Agyarko Kyeremanteng to have paid bribe at vetting of ministers. In another desperate move they accused Alan Kyeremateng and Trade and Industry ministry of extortion. the last two came to involve Public Parliamentary inquiry and all Ghanaian have come to know the lies and desperation of NDC MPs to find fault with Key personalities in Nana Addo NPP government. As they failed in the previous attempt, they have now turned their guns on the Finance Minister. But in all their cases, they have weak claims and it is sometimes illogical. They rush and they get it wrong, yet they want to try their luck. As one social analyst indicated, they are doing all this in attempt to score political equalization in corruption claims made against many of the appointees of Mahama government. They know it would not work yet they keep trying their luck. The intention of NDC MPs became very glare in the recent Parliamentary Inquiry. The posture and attitude of Hon. James Klutse Avedzi Deputy Minority Leader, when he was interrogating Mr Kyeremateng. We could see from TV coverage that he was only interested to score a political goal and not aim to unravel the truth of the matter defined by parliament for the committee. It was very clear from his facial expression and giggling gesture. Eventually he began to asked questions which technically was outside the perimeters of the committee. For some of us it was like an Auditor General periodic auditing of Trade and Industry Ministe. Though NDC might change faces to deliver such press conference, the value is the same, whether it is Okudzeto, Muntaka or Idrissu.
The Auditor General must tell the public those John Ford Mahama appointees who have not declared their assets...... They are now calling on Finance Minister to declare his assets. NDC hypocrates will rot in opposition.... Najority of free SHS beneficiaries will forever vote NPP..... NDC gr.eedy b.a.s.tards....
Even these self centred ***barred word*** caricaturing as the minority led by some few w0rthless in ward looking wa$te of space northners in parliament, had enormous faith in the wor$e finance minister Ghana has ever had ( Seth Terkper). Always $elfish with little or no thought for Ghana's progress. I am sick and tired of democracy due to the overwhelming d1shonesty exhibited by our politicians. Ofori Atta is going nowhere and will stay till thy kingdom come. I am p1$$ed off big time.
I THINK THE NDC MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ARE TRYING TO SCORE POLITICAL CHEAP POINTS BUT TELL YOU WHAT, THEY ARE NOT ATTAINABLE AT ALL ANGLES
Don't worry you can used your number to rub the state time will tell
ken is should watch his moves bcos Amidu might finally give up an upper cut knockout.
Don't mind the Minority, they just want to divert people's attention from the damning 2016 Auditor General report.