Former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu Constituency on the ticket of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ras Mubarak has described as problematic the reason given by the Minority Caucus on the Appointments Committee of Parliament to approve the Finance Minister-designate, Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to him, inasmuch as it will inure to the benefit of the country to depoliticise some of the issues and also build consensus to find a way to help the nation, it is suicidal to ignore certain issues which demand further and better particulars as Parliament.
Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Ras Mubarak noted that apart from Parliament passing laws for the country it is also their responsibility especially the Minority to keep the Executive Arm of Government in check by ensuring the right is done for the citizens.
He, however, finds it wondrous to see the Minority Caucus on the Appointments Committee of Parliament after identifying some lingering questions which needed some responses from the Finance Minister-designate went ahead to approve him by consensus when he has promised to provide further and better particulars.
“According to the Minority, there were some issues that the nominee could not satisfy the Committee with and they were expecting that he will come and respond to them or provide further and better particulars. So if the nominee has not provided further and better particulars, what is the rush?”, he wondered.
To him, the Minority Caucus on the Appointments Committee of Parliament should have waited for the nominee to provide the needed particulars and not rush to approve him; making it a waste of time to ask those questions and not wait for the answers.
He bemoaned that the response of the Minority Leader on the floor of Parliament to justify why they approve Ken Ofori-Atta to remain the Finance Minister is problematic after arguing that he has not been a better Manager of the country’s economy.
He explained that the Minority Leader on the floor said something to the effect that Ken Ofori-Atta has messed up the economy and so they will approve him to face the consequences of the mismanagement that he created.
“I find that very problematic. We have been very loud in the Minority that Ken Ofori-Atta is not managing the economy well and so if that argument is anything to go by, we should look for who can best manage the economy,” he argued.
“The comment of the Minority Leader makes the argument flawed because if Ken Ofori-Atta has crushed the economy as the leader wants us to believe, giving him another mandate to continue, who will suffer the consequences of his mismanagement of the economy? Obviously, it is not the politicians who get some things tax-free who will suffer the worse economy,” he stated.
