Minister-designate for Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, says he has settled the controversial GHC2 million debt owed Prudential Bank Limited by the New Patriotic Party.
The bank in 2015 wrote to the NPP to demand repayment of the amount which the party secured as loan to prosecute its campaign but reportedly reneged on its repayment plan.
Following the leak of the bank’s letter, Mr Ofori-Atta who was the chairman of the 2012 campaign finance team issued a statement at the time to take responsibility, stating that the loan was purely a private transaction which NPP had no hand in contracting.
The GHC 2,290,631.36 million loan was obtained to support the operations of the party’s polling station agents during the 2012 general elections. “I am personally liable for any obligation that arises from this transaction and not in any way the New Patriotic Party,” he said in the statement.
When asked during his vetting Friday as to whether he has paid the said amount, Mr Ofori-Atta said “I have put closure to the prudential debt so that is closed.
I have a letter at home with regards to that”. He told members of the Appointments Committee that the amount was paid in full in December but did not indicate which year. “It has been fully paid. It was in December,” he said.