A former Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayensuano, Samuel Ayeh-Paye, has entreated the 98 MPs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) pushing for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to be tactful.
According to him, the demands of the lawmakers have come at a crucial time and will have dire consequences on the country if restraint is not exercised.
The aggrieved lawmakers had indicated their readiness not to support the 2023 Budget, the passage of the Appropriations Bill or any other government business until Mr Ofori-Atta is sacked.
Following an intervention by President Akufo-Addo for Mr Ofori-Atta to finish the budget and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) negotiations during which a compromise was arrived, the MPs seem to have backtracked.
Reacting to the development on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Ayeh-Paye stated the calls are in the right direction and he would have joined if he was still in parliament.
However, he has urged them to tread cautiously as their actions will delay the budget and other government businesses.
“If the budget further delays with the debate not done as well as the passage of the appropriation bill, government will not be able to spend any money in the coming year. Also, the MPs will have to spend Christmas in the chamber because they cannot rise if these things are not done. So I will plead with them,” he appealed.
This comes after a former chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah, stated it will be “suicidal” to remove Finance Minister Mr Ofori-Atta from office “at this crucial hour.”
Meanwhile, the Minister in an interview last week confirmed that he will present the 2023 budget on Thursday, despite the request by the NPP MPs.
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He stated that he has not been officially informed about the threats of the 98 NPP MPs.
But the Asante Akim North MP, who is the spokesperson for the group, said the Minister’s response to their concerns is unfortunate, stating they have lost confidence in the Minister.
