Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central Constituency Isaac Adongo has asked the Minister of Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, to resign on the floor of Parliament, where he was summoned to on Wednesday to explain the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
Mr Ofori-Atta had appeared before the parliamentarians to explain the restructuring exercise being undertaken by government and that has led to the introduction of the Programme, which has led to the continuous picketing of pensioners at his Ministry.
The Finance Minister had explained that “government is committed to the well-being of our Senior Citizens and pensioners”.
“The government will honour their coupon payments and maturing principles.”
But commenting on the address, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP demanded the immediate resignation of Mr Ofori-Atta before going out of the House.
He said everything shows that the Finance Minister has failed in discharging his duty.
He insists that Mr Ofori-Atta has made government bonds riskier than they used to be to the extend that he says lending to him may be safer.
Mr Adongo said the Finance Minister only continues to quote the Holy Bible to cover up his incompetence.
The lawmaker asked Ghanaians to beware of public officers who do not demand payment for their service, alluding to the no-salary arrangement for Mr Ofori-Atta.
Mr Adongo said such state officials like Mr Ofori-Atta are dangerous to the health of the country and that is where the current Finance Minister has taken Ghana to.
Before Mr Adongo spoke, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, asked Parliamentarians to use parliamentary language rather than speak like in chop bars and markets in Ghana.
