Appiah-Kubi Criticizes Ofori-Atta for Becoming More Powerful than Akufo-Addo, Claims He Was Too Arrogant as Finance Minister

Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, has revealed the underlying reasons why several Majority MPs within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) called for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister. During an appearance on TV3’s Key Points programme, Appiah-Kubi explained that the MPs’ desire to have Ofori-Atta dismissed was largely driven by perceptions of his arrogance and the unchecked influence he had amassed over time.

Appiah-Kubi emphasized that Ofori-Atta’s increasing authority had created tensions within the government. He suggested that the Finance Minister’s power had grown to such an extent that it began to overshadow the authority of both President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. This imbalance of power within the government, according to Appiah-Kubi, raised significant concerns among the MPs, who felt that Ofori-Atta was becoming too dominant. He stated, “Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta grew too pompous. He was more powerful than the President and the Vice President, and that was why we wanted him out.”

The tension regarding Ofori-Atta’s leadership peaked in 2022 when a group of over 90 MPs, including Appiah-Kubi, publicly demanded his resignation amidst the country’s worsening economic conditions. Ghana was grappling with an economic crisis that saw international rating agencies downgrading the country’s credit rating. MPs were under increasing pressure from their constituents, who were experiencing the negative impacts of soaring living costs, inflation, and a weakened currency. They felt that decisive action was necessary to stem the economic decline, and they believed that Ofori-Atta’s leadership was a significant part of the problem.

Despite mounting pressure and widespread calls for his removal, President Akufo-Addo chose to stand by Ofori-Atta. This decision, however, attracted sharp criticism from within the party and the general public. Many believed that the President’s refusal to remove the Finance Minister damaged the credibility of the government and undermined the NPP’s political standing. The insistence on keeping Ofori-Atta in office became a point of contention, and the perceived inaction contributed to the growing discontent within the party.

The refusal to dismiss Ofori-Atta was one of the factors that some critics believe led to the NPP’s poor performance in the 2024 presidential elections. After the party’s significant defeat, many political analysts and commentators pointed to the continued presence of Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister as one of the key reasons for the loss. The decision to retain him, despite the discontent within the party ranks and the public, was seen as a failure to address the party’s internal divisions and the broader dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the economy.

Appiah-Kubi’s remarks underscore the internal struggles within the NPP and the growing frustration among MPs who felt sidelined by the overconcentration of power in Ofori-Atta’s hands. His statements also reflect the broader sentiment within the party that leadership decisions during the Akufo-Addo administration were contributing to the government’s loss of support among the electorate. With Ofori-Atta at the center of these disputes, the failure to resolve these tensions was seen as one of the key reasons for the NPP’s poor showing at the polls.

The call for Ofori-Atta’s removal and the President’s decision to retain him illustrate the complex dynamics of internal party politics and leadership struggles within the NPP. Appiah-Kubi’s comments reveal that the decision to keep Ofori-Atta in office ultimately created significant divisions, with consequences that extended beyond internal party disagreements and contributed to the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 election.