Joyce Bawah Criticizes Ken Ofori-Atta Over Lack of Accountability

Presidential Advisor Joyce Bawah Mogtari has sharply criticised former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, accusing him of avoiding accountability for decisions made during his time in office.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday, December 19, Ms. Bawah Mogtari argued that public officials have a duty to explain their actions, even after their tenure ends.

“There is a certain latitude that you ought not to give your appointees. There is a certain level of responsibility that they must also feel,” she stated.

Ms. Mogtari specifically highlighted the significant increase in Ghana’s debt under Mr. Ofori-Atta’s leadership, noting the high interest rates attached to these debts. “Under your tenure, Ghana had huge debts, literally very high debts, we bought at very high rates, very high commercial rates. Sometimes you hear some of those coupon rates, and you marvel,” she said.

She questioned the sustainability of these debts, asking, “So what are we going to do with this money?” and suggesting that even a private business would struggle to recoup such losses. “If it were your private business, irrespective of what you invested in, you might never be able to recoup, even to pay off these debts.”

Ms. Bawah expressed concern over Mr. Ofori-Atta’s reluctance to cooperate with investigations into past financial dealings. “We had somebody who was responsible, someone who was tasked to do this. Why would such an individual even want to refuse to come and respond to whatever investigations or questions are raised?” she asked.

She emphasised that the role of Finance Minister carries immense responsibility, and that this responsibility extends beyond one’s time in office. “If you serve as a finance minister, it is actually one of the highest levels of responsibility. And then you leave the office, and successive governments come in and say, ‘Look, we need to take a second look at these things,’” she added.

Ms. Mogtari believes ministers should view their positions as a serious duty to the public, not merely as a source of power. “If a minister feels responsible, not just for the authority reposed in them, but for the duty also placed on them, imagine how they undertake their duties,” she explained.

She further stated that former ministers have a moral obligation to either defend their decisions or provide explanations to citizens. “When they are no longer ministers, they should feel the need either to clear your name or to explain to the citizens why you actually took certain decisions, or why some actions were taken,” she said.

Ms. Bawah reminded former ministers of the oath of office they take, which she said binds them to serve the nation faithfully. “Ministers are also committed in pretty much the same way as the President. They swear an oath of office. It is one that binds you in all faithfulness and diligence to the people that you are there to serve.”

She reiterated that ultimate responsibility lies with the minister, both during and after their tenure. “When a minister is in office, he must always remember that the buck starts and stops with him. Even when there are questions to be answered when you leave, it is also your responsibility. It behoves you to be present to answer.”

Looking back at the past eight years, Ms. Mogtari suggested that former President Nana Akufo-Addo may have been better off stepping down after his first term. “I do believe, as many have actually come to conclude, that maybe after his first time he really should have left office,” she said.

She also noted that President Akufo-Addo spent a considerable amount of time criticising the policies of his predecessor upon assuming office. “I remember he spent a lot of the first few years literally attacking everything that his predecessor had done or hadn’t done,” she said.

However, Ms. Mogtari pointed to the Meridian Port Services project in Tema as an example of a project initially criticised but now proving its worth. “That investment didn’t even make sense to them. There were a lot of criticisms of that project. But today, it is the one project that I believe actually symbolises what a leader can achieve when they set their mind to it.”

“We wake up every day to our responsibilities, and that is how it should be,” she concluded.

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