Ghana’s ruling party lawmakers demanded the resignation of the country’s finance minister on Tuesday, putting additional pressure on the government to deal with record inflation.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has come under fire as Ghanaians face 37% inflation and the collapse of their currency, the cedi, in an economic crisis exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has just returned from Washington, where he was negotiating a $3 billion loan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In addition to Mr. Ofori-Atta, a majority of Mr. Akufo-New Addo’s Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentarians have called for the dismissal of another finance official.
The parliamentary majority group issued a statement saying, “Until the aforementioned individuals resign or are removed from office, we will not participate in any government activity.”
“We in the parliamentary majority group will not participate in any government activity until the aforementioned individuals resign or are removed from office,” Appiah-Kubi warned.
“If our request is not granted, we will not be present at the budget session, nor will we participate in the debate,” he said.
The call was supported by 80 of the NPP parliamentary caucus’ 137 members.
The NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) share the same number of seats in Ghana’s parliament. In November, lawmakers will begin debating the fiscal year 2023 budget.
The majority caucus in parliament has been leading the trend on social media, with minority MPs also calling for the same motion.
Local media produced the video below. TV3 broadcasts minority MPs speaking to the media.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has been chastised for the country’s economic management, including his decision to enter into talks with the IMF, which he once promised would result in a “aid-free Ghana.”
This decision has fueled fears that the government will impose austerity measures that will further burden an already-burdened population.
Shopkeepers in Accra’s capital, Accra, shut down their businesses last week to protest rising living costs.
