Censure vote against Ofori-Atta fails

Ken Ofori Atta managed to keep his position as Finance Minister in the current government after a Censure Motion sponsored by the Minority in Parliament failed to remove him from office.

The motion failed because the Minority did not get the necessary numbers to carry out its agenda because members of the Majority walked out of the House moments before voting.

According to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, the NDC MPs did not meet the Constitutional requirement of 183 MPs to carry out their agenda because only 136 Minority MPs participated in the secret vote to pass the censure motion.

“In accordance with article 83(1) which reads; Parliament may by a resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of all the MPs pass a vote of censure on the Minister for State. Following the terms of Article 82 (1) the vote is accordingly lost,” the Speaker explained.

Meanwhile, Speaker Bagbin, says the public hearing of the censure motion against Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, had vindicated his decision.

Delivering his ruling on the report submitted by the eight-member ad hoc committee yesterday he said the procedure he adopted to handle the censure motion, which was filed by the Minority for the removal of the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, was firmly rooted in law.

“The public hearing has vindicated my decision. The referral of the motion is proper and in accordance with the law, the House may now proceed to debate the motion,” Alban Bagbin said.

The hearing was after the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin had called for a fair hearing for Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

According to Afenyo-Markin, a proper examination of the Minority’s claims against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta reveals that they are criminal.

“If we go ahead with the application, we will be doing a lot of injustice to our colleague.” “If this application is allowed, it will be an injustice and unfairness, and the Minister wouldn’t have been given adequate time to prepare for his defense,” he told Parliament.

Speaking before the Adhoc Committee of Parliament hearing the censure motion brought against him on Friday 18th November 2022 Ofori Atta provided answers to some allegations the Minority had made.

He debunked the allegations and labeled them as false.

“Since I took office in 2017, I have served the country with integrity and honesty.

“Under my leadership at the Ministry of Finance, there have been significant improvements in the accurate reporting of public finances.

“Today, under President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians are enjoying greater accountability and transparency in the management of the public purse than any other period under the Fourth Republic,” Ofori Atta said.