Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a lawyer and prominent member of the New Patriotic Party, has appeared before parliament as lawyer for Ken Ofori-Atta at the ad hoc committee hearing.

Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister, has appeared before the ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of a censure motion against him.

Another person who has also shown up is Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah.

The 8-member ad hoc committee was made of Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.

Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.

The committee is expected to submit a report within 7 days.

It will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.

Below are the seven-points for which the Minority want Ofori-Atta censured:

a. Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang

b. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral.

c. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.

d. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament

e. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world

f. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis

g. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship

NYA/FNOQ