Paying DKM Customers Is Not In Our Manifesto---Ken Ofori-Atta

The Minister designate for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has disclosed that he is not sure the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has in its manifesto promise to settle aggrieved DKM customers in the first hundred days.

Taking his turn before the Vetting Committee of Parliament, the Finance Minister designate also said the Akufo Addo led NPP government through the Bank of Ghana will put stringent measures in place to check illegal Microfinance companies operating in the country.

According to him, he is “not privy to that promise, and I’m not sure the NPP has in its manifesto to settle all DKM customers”.

Mr. Ken Ofori Atta made the comments when he appeared before the vetting committee of parliament Friday.

The investment banker in his submission told the Appointment Committee that, there are 365 Zongos (slums inhabited by mainly people of northern extraction and Muslims in the inner cities and the NPP government has targeted seeding the Zongo Development Fund with $50million, to improve conditions at the various Zongos

“The Akufo-Addo government intends ensuring that inhabitants of Zongos get their economic circumstances improved since they deserve “a minimum threshold of livability”.

He also held a strong view that, his government was focused on raising living standards so all Ghanaians can attest to the party’s “keen interest in education and national health” for all citizens.

According to him, education plays a crucial part of the government’s agenda for economic growth and development and, therefore, the teacher who improves the human resource capacity of the country will not be “shortchanged” under his authority as Finance Minister.

The economist also pointed out that the “issue of paying taxes is something we all need to do as citizens and it is important that we all understand the importance of citizen growth”.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta refuted suggestions that widening the tax base of the country will make the poor poorer while the rich get richer, adding that focusing on a broader tax net to raise more revenue at a lower tax rate is preferred to higher taxes focused on a narrow group of entities.