The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu is worried Ghana may not be able to secure a deal with the International Monetary Fund before the reading of the 2023 budget.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday as the House returned from recess, Mr. Iddrisu the delay sealing the IMF support could have dire consequences on the Ghanaian economy.
“Mr. Speaker, sooner than later, in pursuit of the Public Financial Management Act, the Minister for Finance will have to appear before us with his budget statement for 2023. My wish would have been that he secured an IMF bailout before the budget, but that does not seem possible. And that itself comes with major economic ramifications for our country,” he stressed.
“I am told that the IMF wants to further conduct debt sustainability analysis because they are not satisfied with the last examination of our books that they did. Probably, a debt restructuring may become necessary, but I am saying that, ideally Ghana should secure an IMF bailout before budget because what budget will you be presenting without a position of the IMF?”
The heat for the removal of the Finance Minister and Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, has intensified, with some New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament also adding their voice to such call.
The Minority in Parliament has already filed a motion for a vote of censure against Ofori-Atta.
Touching on the motion, Haruna Iddrisu said: “Mr. Speaker, we are serving you notice that we will take every step that this Parliament has…to censure any Minister who is not living up to expectation, and we will lead the way with the Honorable Minister for Finance.”
“So what I will expect from my fellow opposites is to support us to exit him [Ken Ofori-Atta]. He cannot manage or supervise his own mess, he is not fit for purpose,” he charged the Majority Caucus to stand with them in the demand for Ofori-Atta’s removal.”
