A leading member and two-time flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku says the continuous stay in office by beleaguered the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is problematic. 

He says the minister has played his role and ought to have left scene long ago. 

According to him, the opinions of the citizenry matter greatly in politics and must not be ignored. 

Speaking in an interview with Citi FM on Monday, Dr Apraku who wishes to lead the NPP into the 2024 polls, said he would have axed the minister if he was the president. 

“In politics, you have to be sensitive to public opinion. Sometimes, it may not be the truth, but that is the sentiments, and the sentiments of the people need to be examined, and acted upon if it is possible. 

"It’s a great deal for the NPP MPs to come out there to say they don’t want our Finance Minister, their own Finance Minister that they have worked with in the past,” Dr. Apraku stated.

Dr Apraku added that it is disrespectful for President Akufo-Addo not to heed to the calls of the NPP MPs to fire the minister. 

“In democracy, we have to be sensitive to the people. Lack of action exacerbates the problem, so you cut it off and cut your losses and I would have cut my losses and said please you have done enough, the environment is hostile to you so go. I would have changed him”.

Since Ghana’s economy started showing signs of instability, a section of Ghanaians called for a ministerial reshuffle and a downsized government, he said.

This call, initially, was met with indifference. 

However, about 90 NPP MPs held a press conference and called for the immediate sacking of the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta. 

President Akufo-Addo subsequently met them and pleaded with them to allow the minister present the 2023 budget statement and conclude the ongoing IMF negotiations. 

But a few months later, President Akufo-Addo has reshuffled some ministers in his government. The changes did not meet the expectations of many Ghanaians as it did not affect the Finance Minister or any top gun in the government.