Censure motion: All payments on National Cathedral were lawfully made from contingency vault — Ken Ofori-Atta

Underfire Finance Minister Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta is currently defending himself against the allegations by the Minority Caucus before the 8-member ad hoc committee on the motion of censure.

In his defence today, Friday, November 18, first on the allegation that he unlawfully spent some money on the national cathedral, he says they are false claims.

He indicated that the cathedral is 100 per cent owned by the state and as such payment made from the contingency vault was lawful.

“All the payments made for the national cathedral were lawfully done and from the contingency vault under the government obligations and not from the contingency fund as alleged by the proponents,” he said.

The 8-member ad hoc committee is currently ongoing.

The Minority caucus represented by the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson at the first sitting of the ad hoc committee made several allegations including unlawful spending on the national cathedral and from the contingency fund without Parliamentary approval.

This comes after the Minority Members of Parliament on Thursday, November 10, filed a motion for a vote of censure to remove the Minister of Finance from office.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin after hearing the motion, directed the setting up of a committee to investigate the allegations made against the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta by the Minority in Parliament.

Having referred the matter to the ad-hoc committee, Speaker Alban Bagbin directed that the committee must finish their work in seven days' time.

Subsequently, the Committee must present a report on the matter to the house for it to be debated.

The Minority was unhappy with the ruling but nominated four MPs including Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Zanetor Agyemang- Rawlings to work with the 8-member ad-hoc committee.

Four of the members of the ad-hoc committee also come from the Majority side.

The motion proceedings are currently in motion. Modernghana News promises to serve its readers with every vital piece of information from the seven working-day sittings.