Multiple media sources has picked up intelligence suggesting that the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, who doubles as the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, is being lobbied for fiercely by some people to replace the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The move, which we gather is gaining momentum, comes even before the fate of Ken Ofori-Atta is decided by Parliament, following the motion of censure moved and adopted yesterday.
Though the Majority group championing the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta has not mentioned any name openly as a replacement, it is the understanding of this paper that the agenda to force President Akufo-Addo to sack him is an orchestration by some who aspire to become Ghana’s next Finance Minister.
Even before the fate of Ken Ofori-Atta is decided, intelligence picked up suggests that some people are fiercely lobbying to replace him.
This suggests that the agenda to force the president to sack Ofori-Atta is an orchestration by some who aspire to become Ghana’s next Finance Minister.
As a group, the Members of Parliament (MP) who are demanding Ofori-Atta’s removal have not provided names of possible replacements.
But they have declared openly that they want one of their members to replace him.
Majority Caucus sources have hinted that some NPP MPs are backing Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu to replace Ofori-Atta.
They said the Majority Leader will not reject the appointment if President Akufo-Addo offered it to him.
But an informed source went even further to say that Kye-Mensah-Bonsu actually wants the position.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had earlier stated that he is qualified to be a vice-presidential candidate.
He said he is more than qualified to partner with either Dr Mahamudu Bawumia or anyone who emerges as flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 elections.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is on record to have stated that Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia is the best person to lead the NPP into the next elections scheduled for 2024.
He joins other Ashanti aspirants such as Joseph Osei-Owusu, MP for Bekwai, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, MP for Manhyia South and Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, MP for the Bosomtwe.
Eugene Boakye Antwi, the MP for Subin in the Ashanti Region who is a leading member of the MPs seeking Ofori-Atta’s removal that held the press conference has said they want a parliamentarian as a replacement.
“We want somebody in Parliament, we want somebody that we can see, we want somebody who respects Parliament,” he said.
“We as NPP members will be urging President Akufo-Addo to bring us an MP, somebody who understands the work of parliament, somebody who is going to be with us,” he stressed.
Eugene Boakye Antwi’s disclosure reveals why the MPs did not demand the sacking of the two deputy ministers of finance Dr John Kumah, MP for Ejisu in the Ashanti Region and Abena Osei-Asare, MP for Atiwa East in the East Region.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and his supporters will see such an appointment as a recognition of his commitment and loyalty to the NPP and his long service in parliament.
Sources said Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu doesn’t want to stop there. “He actually wants to use the finance minister portfolio to position himself to become running mate to the Vice-President, should Dr Mahamudu Bawumia become the NPP’s flagbearer,” the source said.
According to analysts, he knows his parliamentary career is over because he can’t win the constituency primaries, but he doesn’t want his political career to end.
But does he have the capacity to take the helm at the Finance Ministry, especially in this time of economic crisis? He once read the budget statement in the absence of Ofori-Atta, but analysts say anyone could have read it.
