Parliament clash over Ken Ofori-Atta as Ayariga demands NPP accountability

The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to account for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta before seeking a fresh mandate from Ghanaians, in a heated exchange on the floor of the House on Tuesday.

Mr Ayariga said the opposition party must be held responsible for the former minister, arguing that the NPP cannot distance itself from his stewardship of Ghana’s economy while in office.

His remarks come amid reports that lawyers for Mr Ofori-Atta have told a US court that he has been granted permanent residency in the United States.

Raising the matter in Parliament, Mr Ayariga said the NPP should be made to answer for the former minister’s conduct and whereabouts.

“Ghanaians should demand of the NPP that if they don’t produce Ken Ofori-Atta in this country, they should never come before them asking for power again,” he said.

He argued that Parliament approved Mr Ofori-Atta’s appointment as Finance Minister and therefore the governing party at the time must bear responsibility for his performance in office.

“We gave him our economy to manage, and he mismanaged it and ran away,” he added.

Mr Ayariga further questioned why the opposition should be allowed to return to power without addressing concerns over the former minister.

“And you want to go back to Ghanaians and ask Ghanaians to give you power again, so that you will bring another Ken Ofori-Atta to mismanage the economy and run to Europe,” he said.

He insisted that accountability for Mr Ofori-Atta should be a condition for any future political mandate.

“And Ghanaians must be asking the NPP not to even appear before them to ask for power unless they have brought Ken Ofori-Atta back to this country,” he said.

The comments triggered a sharp response from Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who accused Mr Ayariga of making serious allegations against Mr Ofori-Atta in his absence and denying him the opportunity to respond.

“We cannot bring Ken Ofori-Atta’s name here when the man is not here to defend himself and make serious allegations against him,” he said.

He urged restraint in discussing the former minister, noting his right to fair treatment.

“He is a human being like you, a citizen like you. He also has children. He has his family. Be fair,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

The Minority Leader also criticised what he described as repeated political attacks on Mr Ofori-Atta in Parliament, warning against turning the House into a platform for personal accusations.

“If you think that you have all your evidence, the court is yours… but don’t use this Parliament to launch an attack on Ken Ofori-Atta,” he added.

Mr Ayariga, however, maintained his position, insisting that the NPP must be held accountable for the former minister’s record in office and his current situation abroad.

The exchange underscored continuing tensions in Parliament over the legacy of Mr Ofori-Atta’s tenure as Finance Minister and broader debates about economic management and political accountability.