The Convention People’s Party, CPP, wants the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu to resign his post for daring to give critics of the Government’s intended part sale of Ghana Telecom an ultimatum to provide alternatives to solving the country’s economic difficulties. In a front page publication of the Daily Graphic of Monday, August 4, Baah-Wiredu challenged all those criticising the government and the deal to offload 70 percent of GT shares to UK’s Vodafone to provide alternatives within 24 hours or keep their silence. But the CPP, per a statement issued by the Campaign Team of its 2008 presidential candidate, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, says that posture by the minister is a mark of irresponsibility and failure, describing it also as cowardly. The statement reminded the Finance Minister that he was one of many politicians who berated the NDC administration in 1999 and 2000 for its inability to deal with “external shocks”, and it is unbecoming of him to now blame his inability to deal effectively with the finances of government on “external shocks” and intending to sell GT to pay for his shortcomings. The party said selling an important national asset such as GT and the national fibre-optic system to fill a big hole in the budget caused by all manner of spending that is not necessarily productive, is wrong. Read the CPP statement below. THE MINISTER OF FINANCE MUST RESIGN! The report in the Daily Graphic that the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, the Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu is giving critics of the controversial sale of 70% of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone 24 hours to come up with an alternative is both cowardly and demonstrates the inability of the Minister to deal with the difficult financial situation that has been created by the current NPP administration. The NPP administration was voted into power to solve problems by offering solutions that are credible and that are in the national interest. It was not voted into power to spend the record levels of revenues generated, accumulate debt and then demand that we sell all government assets to bail them out. What happens next when the only thing left to sell are Ghanaians themselves? If the sale of Ghana Telecom was “advertised” in the 2005 budget, what took his government so long in bringing the details of the transaction to the knowledge of the public? When did the administration receive a valuation of GT? How much was it valued at and who did it? We demand that the document be made public and for the public to be told which Cabinet meeting was furnished with the information and as a result approved the sale at the price offered by Vodafone. Indeed when did his administration give Parliament the details of the transaction? Not all Ghanaians were born today. The Minister of Finance is one of the politicians who berated the NDC administration in 1999 and 2000 for its inability to deal with “external shocks”. He is now blaming his inability to deal effectively with the finances of government on “external shocks” and wants to sell GT to pay for his shortcomings. Did we go or did we come – NDC and NPP? Selling an important national asset such as GT and the national fibre-optic system to fill a big hole in the budget caused by all manner of spending that is not necessarily productive, is wrong. The CPP is against the sale and urges all Ghanaians to fight against it. Under his watch, the Hon. Baah-Wiredu has managed inflation to near 20% and will certainly exceed it by the end of the year; interest rates paid by small businesses and workers on loans now exceed 35%. The new Ghana cedi is loosing value. Road contractors have stopped working because they are not getting paid. Many contractors and suppliers are owed significant sums of money. Ghana at 50 suppliers and contractors are complaining of debts owed to them. Yet, the revenue agencies report record revenue collections – or are these reports designed to fool the public? The Finance Minister must find credible solutions – he is the financial advisor to the NPP administration – to government’s money problems. If he can’t do it and the President will not replace him, then he should do the honourable thing – resign! Ghanaians want change and for good reasons. The Minister of Finance just gave Ghanaians a few more reasons to vote for the CPP – for change we can feel in our pockets.