Ad Hoc Committee For Ofori Atta Censure Vote Begins Work

The committee to probe the Minority Caucus in Parliament’s allegations against Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta will commence work today, November 15, 2022.

The committee was set up on October 10 by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin after the Minority moved a motion for the censure vote.

The Minority earlier on October 24 filed the motion citing conflict of interest in the conduct of his mandate; unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund; illegal payment of oil revenue into offshore accounts; deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament; fiscal recklessness; incompetence; and gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy.

The motion was immediately admitted by the Speaker.

The formation of the Ad-hoc committee is to give the Finance Minister an opportunity to respond to the allegations levelled against him in accordance with Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

The 8-member committee co-chaired by K.T. Hammond and Dominic Ayine comprises Patrick Yaw Boamah, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, Andrew Agyapa Mercer, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings and Bernard Ahiafor.

The sittings of the Committee will be broadcast live.

The Committee has seven days to submit its report to the House for the ultimate decision.

Motion Of Censor
According to Article 82 of the 1992 constitution, censure vote motion needs not less than ⅔ votes from the MPs to make the removal of the Finance Minister possible.

The Motion must first be debated in Parliament within fourteen days after the Speaker of the House receives it.

In the course, the Minister is entitled to be heard in his defence.

Where a vote of censure is passed against the Minister the President may, unless the Minister resigns his office, revoke his appointment as a Minister.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini