Renowned economist Kwame Pianim has taken a swipe at the Minister of Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Kuntunkunuku Ofori-Atta, saying he has no credibility to lead negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on behalf of Ghana.
“Ken Ofori-Atta is not a credible messenger,” Mr Pianim emphasised in an interview with TV3‘s Paa Kwesi Asare on Thursday, October 27.
“Somebody who didn’t want to be taking this route, how can you say he should lead it?”
He said the IMF negotiations are not going well as he has picked up from the grapevine from friends in Washington.
“The IMF negotiation is not going well [and] I know this for a fact.
“What the IMF is waiting for is a bold, credible pronouncement from the president as he did over the Covid.”
Calls for the sacking of Mr Ofori-Atta have heightened over the past few days due to the prevailing economic cpnditions.
In a surprise move, about 80 members of the Majority caucus in Parliament on Tuesday, October 25 called for the head of the Finance Minister and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, as well as the deputies.
But a meeting later that evening at the Jubilee House saw the President asking for more time with the pretext that Mr Ofori-Atta is leading Ghana’s negotiations with the IMF and must be allowed to complete this mission.
According to reports, President Akufo-Addo said he will relieve his Finance Minister of almost seven years of his post after the IMF deal is reached.
But Mr Pianim, who is a renowned investment consultant, said Mr Ofori-Atta cannot be made to complete the negotiations as he is already faltering with it.