“Compromised” NDC MPs, Parliament approves Scandal-ridden Ofori-Atta

The Parliamentary Appointment Committee dominated by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has approved the nomination of Ken Ofori-Atta as the substantive Finance Minister, despite several corruption scandals hanging over his head.

Mr. Ofori-Atta’s name has popped up in several high profile corruption scandals, including the US$ 500 million Power Distribution Services (PDS) scandal-fraught attempt to take over the state electricity company, ECG; the dubious Agyapa Royalty deal, Aker Energy deal where he conveniently slotted in his former staff and family to slice off stake from the state oil company, GNPC, the suspicious banking sector clean-up, among others.

Ken Ofori-Atta has also been accused of conflict of interest by using his private company as one of the main transaction brokers in Ghana’s numerous Eurobonds under his supervisor in return for juicy commissions to his company, Databank Financial Services.

 Indeed, some individuals had petitioned the appointment committee not to approve him because of these scandals. But the committee which has NDC majority votes passed him anyway.

Mr. Ofori-Atta had earlier failed to sit for his scheduled vetting earlier in March as he was flown out of the country for some supposed complications from his COVID-19 infection. He returned to Ghana almost two weeks ago and had been vetted.

Critics had expected that his nomination by President Akufo Addo-his uncle, would be rejected for his much-criticised poor handling of the economy and his scandals.

However, his approval comes after the Appointments Committee by consensus recommended his approval to the House.

Parliament, as a whole, approved the nomination by a voice vote.

In what appears to be a curious development in his vetting debacle, MPs from the had raised reservations about his to some questions posed to him, prompting the minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu described the Minister as having performed unsatisfactorily when he appeared before them.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei Wusu, has written to plenary to approve Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister shortly before he was finally given the green light by Parliament.

Portions of a letter signed by the Bekwai MP asks all the 275 members of the house to vote for the approval of Mr. Ofori-Atta.

“The Committee, after deliberation on the nomination of H.E., the President for the Ministerial Appointments and in accordance with Article 256 (1) of the 1992 constitution and Order 172 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, recommends for the approval of the House, the nomination of Mr Ken Ofori-Atta for appointments as Minister responsible for Finance,” the letter stated.

Both the NDC and NPP sides of the Appointments Committee approved Ofori-Atta despite impressions created earlier by the NDC that they did not approve of Ken Ofori-Atta’s stewardship in the past four years as Finance Minister.