Ghana’s former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is reportedly set to be named a Senior Presidential Advisor to President Nana Akuffo-Addo on all matters relating to Ghana’s economy.
According to sources available to 3News’ Duke Mensah Opoku, Ofori Atta will take up the new mantle following the February 14th ministerial shuffle.
A report by Asaase News further corroborates this, adding that Ken Ofori-Atta “will also serve as the president’s special envoy on international investment and the capital markets”.
Ofori Atta was Ghana’s longest serving finance minister despite facing tough times and calls for his dismissal by some members of Ghana’s parliament. On October 25, 2022, some 80 NPP MPs demanded Ofori Atta’s resignation over the bad state of the economy; this was was reiterated by the NDC caucus in February 2023.
Their calls for resignation were rejected by President Akufo-Addo, who at the time asked for parliament to wait until conversations with the IMF were over.
Social media reactions to the reports of Ofori Atta’s new appointment
Some Ghanaian social media users have taken to the internet to express their faux shock that former minister is getting a new government appointment.
Popular economic commentator, Bright Simons posted a screen-grab of the news report with the caption “drama” on his X profile.
Another user commented, “…more advisors, more allowances. Add to the wage [bill] while pursuing additional taxes as the only approach to fiscal consolidation.”
Another user stated that earlier assertions that Ken Ofori Atta was sacked are not true as this new position is an elevation “in the sense that he will be the most important figure in decision making in terms of financial and economic matters”.
Ken Ofori-Atta has been elevated not demoted in the sense that he will be the most important figure in decision making in terms of financial and economic matters with the new appointment as Special Advisor to the president of the economy
— DomSenayah (@Dom_Senayah) February 14, 2024
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