The Member of Parliament for the Damongo Constituency, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has advised his colleagues on the Minority side not to set a bad precedent following vote of censure motion brought against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to him, their actions have serious repercussions which are likely to repeat themselves in the future, urging them to be careful of the precedent they intend to set.
Contributing to the debate on the vote of censure motion in Parliament on Thursday, December 8, 2022, Mr. Jinapor, said the motion is weak and not well grounded and must not be given the attention it deserves.
“The grounds on which the censure motion against the Finance Minister was tabled must be well grounded. I will submit that this ground is weak, and cannot be laid to remove the Finance Minister,” he stated.
He said the censure motion by the Minority is a means for the National Democratic Congress legislators to score cheap political points, warning that he will release evidence if the table turns against the Minority in future.
The legislator indicated that the Finance Minister acquitted himself when he appeared before the ad-hoc committee tasked by the Speaker of Parliament to probe allegations in the motion.
“What we seek to do in this House and the decision we make must be well motivated. Because, Mr. Speaker, it may be Ofori-Atta [today], 20, 30 years from now, it may be the turn of Finance Minister Ato Forson. When that day arises, and I’m on the other side, principles, facts, and evidence will prevail. I will not support a motion which is not well grounded. I urge my colleague that we should take this matter seriously. Africa and the World are watching us,” he said.
The Minority caucus filed the vote of censure motion against the Finance Minister, accusing him of mismanagement of the economy, financial recklessness, conflict of interest, and gross mismanagement of the economy.
The Minority in Parliament On October 25, 2022, filed the censure motion against Ken Ofori-Atta.
The 8-member ad-hoc committee which was set up by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to probe the motion brought against the Finance Minister presented its report to Parliament on November 25, 2022.
