By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, is expected to appear before the eight-member ad-hoc Committee of Parliament on Friday, November, 18, 2022 to put up a defence to allegations made against him by the Minority members of Parliament as well as a push for a vote of censure for his removal.
The date for the Finance Minister’s appearance on November, 18, 2022 was reached following consensus by both sides at the end of proceedings on the first Public Hearing by the eight-member Ad-hoc Committee sitting on the matter on Tuesday, 15th November, 2022.
The first Public Hearing by the eight-member Ad-hoc Committee sitting on the Censure motion was characterized by some heated exchanges, objections, and concerns over the admissibility of evidence.
The hearing was held up because of a clash over the mode for tendering evidence at the Committee.
Before he was sworn in to testify, the Minority Leader, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, and, Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who was the first to appear before the Committee, wished to utilize evidence in a manner that was contested.
While the Committee’s Clerk said he had not received the formal record of the evidence from the Minority, Mr. Forson said he had sent the Notice of Evidence via hyperlinks because the Clerk’s notice to him had come in a letter sent via WhatsApp.
As the debate escalated, the Minority members of the Committee appealed for flexibility and the urgent handling of the allegations against the Finance Minister.
The Majority Members on the Committee pushed for a formal Notice of the Evidence to be tendered before proceedings continued.
The Minister of Finance in a written request, prior to the hearing, sought further and better particulars on the grounds for the motion, while raising questions over the Committee’s jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ofori-Atta’s Lawyer, Mr. Gabby Otchere-Darko, expressed concern that his client would be caught off guard by the evidence and requested “full particulars of the facts in support of the allegations against the Minister.”
He also said there would not be enough time to scrutinise the evidence outlined by the Minority.
“It would not be fair for the Minister of Finance to be ambushed right here without any preparation to start answering questions”, he posited.
“All we are asking for in the interest of justice is that we should be furnished with the full particulars of the facts in support of each of the allegations contained in the letter and then the supporting documents,” Mr. Okyere Darko maintained.
Despite the appeals, the hearing was allowed to proceed after the Minority Leader swore his Oath and was allowed to give his testimony.
Before the curtains were closed for the day’s hearing, Counsel for the embattled Minister, Mr. Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko asked for ample time for his client to be fully prepared for the task ahead of him.
He told the members of the Committee that his client will be ready with the responses by Friday, November 18, 2022.
“We will require about 48 hours which should mean that we are looking at Friday. We believe that the Finance Minister who will speak for himself will need just one day to make his submissions.”
Counsel for Mr. Ofori-Atta disclosed.
His plea was taken and Friday, November 18, 2022, was fixed for the embattled Minister of Finance to appear before the eight-member Ad-hoc Committee of Parliament.