Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffour was all litigation and sounding very much a man with ‘so much things to say’ in defense of his good name on Thursday. Coming before Parliament to request the house’s approval of the government’s supplementary budget he presented to the nation on Tuesday, he took time to ‘laugh’ (and lash?) at his critics who have predicted he will run the economy down. Those who express no confidence in his ability to successfully manage the economy cite the ‘staggering’ 40.5% inflation the nation suffered in 2000 when he was Governor of the Bank of Ghana in the then administration of Jerry Rawlings. And they maintain that if his performance then was anything to go by, then Ghanaians cannot expect any better. The Minority in Parliament, particularly New Patriotic Party members are leading in the condemnation and have already charged him of doing a shoddy appreciation of the economy over the short period he has been in charge, amidst claims also he conjured some of his figures contained in the supplementary budget to attempt to throw dust into the eyes of the populace over how good the government has managed the economy since taking over the reins this year. But he said those leveling the charges are not familiar with history, and so may be doing so after conveniently ignoring his positives. But while they are at it, he said he would always be happy for a letter former President J.A. Kufuor wrote to thank him for his good work. “Mr. Speaker…, I would like to emphasize that history is powerful in that it can never be washed away. I was the governor during the first year of the NPP administration. Yes, when they took over, inflation was 40.5 in December, 2000. March 2001 inflation had jumped to 42 per cent, nobody talks about that. Mr. Speaker, if you look at the IMF (International Monetary Fund) publication which the Majority Leader read, inflation fell from 42 to 21.5 and those who understand what Transition Mechanism means, what effects of policies really mean, you cannot ignore the impact that my policies made during the first year of the NPP, to the extent that President Kufuor wrote to thank me. And I am very grateful to him, that Mr. Kufuor saw my contribution to the first year of his administration. I will always remember that letter I have.” Duffour got his wish anyway, as when the question was put after an unsurprising banter of a “we-and-them” debate concentrated much on members’ use of parliamentary language or otherwise usual of the sharply divided house, First Deputy Speaker Doe Adjaho proceeded to announce that the “Ayes have it” even as the Minority side tried to outdo the Majority by holding down their ‘Nay” notes longer than usual. The house thus approved the GHc252,790,947 as supplementary estimate of Government for the 2009 financial year. Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline/Ghana