The Minority in Parliament has hinted at its decision to petition the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the appointment of Dr. Johnson Asiama as the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
This comes after the Minority raised concerns about his nomination, questioning the legality of his actions and the integrity of his appointment.
Dr. Asiama’s nomination by President John Dramani Mahama is pending consultation and approval by the Council of State after Dr. Ernest Addison decided to proceed on terminal leave ahead of his retirement in March 2025.
Speaking with the media on February 5, 2025, former Spokesperson to the Vice President, Dr. Gideon Boako representing the Minority accused Dr. Asiama of holding meetings and taking actions at the BoG, which they believe violate constitutional procedures.
“We wish to draw the attention of the IMF to these disturbing developments from the government and call for strict scrutiny in their dealings with Dr. Johnson Asiama so that his actions or inactions do not lead us to any inconvenient destinations as far as our financial ecosystem is concerned,” the Minority stated.
They emphasised that Dr. Asiama is not authorized to perform the duties of the Governor until the Council of State has completed the required consultation, expressing concerns about the potential legal risks that could arise from decisions made by an unappointed individual.
“We ask how it is possible for someone who has not yet been appointed but is only nominated, awaiting consultation with the Council of State, to start work, especially when the Council of State has not even been constituted? Does he have the authority and mandate to make decisions or approve anything that comes to the bank? Would any decision taken by Dr. Asiama in his current position have legal authority? Wouldn’t this expose the bank to legal risks?” they questioned.
The Minority also asked what the reaction would be if someone nominated to be a judge by the President were to sit in court and begin administering justice without following the process set up by the Judicial Council.
“Suppose the Council of State, when it is constituted, doesn’t approve the President’s nomination of Dr. Asiama, what would be done about his presence and activities at the Bank of Ghana in the interim?” the Minority further queried.
Furthermore, the Minority raised concerns about the decision to proceed with Dr. Asiama’s nomination despite ongoing criminal charges against him.
Dr. Asiama, who previously served as Deputy Governor, was standing trial for charges including fraud, money laundering, and violations of the BoG Act.
These charges were withdrawn by President Mahama shortly before the nomination.
“It is our considered opinion that Dr. Johnson Asiama should go through the full adjudication process for the charges he was standing trial for. We are at a loss as to why President Mahama could not wait for the completion of the adjudication process before appointing Dr. Asiama, or at least allow the case to continue while he appoints him. It is in the interest of both the state, the government, and Dr. Asiama himself to establish whether or not he is guilty of the crimes he has been charged with,” part of the statement read.
It continued, “Dropping the charges does not mean he has been absolved of the crime. These charges can be brought back under a different government; and what will become of the decisions he will make as Governor?”
“We will be writing to the IMF to draw attention to this, given that he will also, as Governor of the Bank, be a member of the IMF Board of Governors, exposing Ghana to international ridicule,” they concluded.
Meanwhile, the government, through Acting Spokesperson to President Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has defended the nomination process, stating that similar appointments have occurred in the past while awaiting the constitution of the Council of State.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
