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IMF Bailout: It's An Issue of Policy Not Reshuffle - Pratt On Calls For Finance Minister To Be Removed

There have been numerous calls for President Akufo-Addo to sack Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

These calls heightened when government announced its decision to seek IMF support. 

Dead wood Finance Minister

Former President John Dramani Mahama wading in asked President Akufo-Addo to remove the "many dead woods" in his administration, including Ken Ofori-Atta.

“Meanwhile it will serve the President well to use some instruments from the Presidential tool kit in times of crisis such as this. Fire your Finance Minister, conduct a major shake-up of Government to remove the many dead woods that have turned ministries into their fiefdoms and finally huddle with the best brains this country must formulate a comprehensive recovery plan for our economy,” the former President said.

Kwesi Pratt's View

However, the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has disagreed.

"What we need is a fundamental restructuring of the economy . . . the fact that he's removed doesn't mean the problem will go away. It is an issue of policy, because if another person comes and uses the same framework we will still be where we are, but if there's a new policy, a new framework for national development that'll be better than just asking a person to go. Of course, there are advantages of cabinet reshuffle . . . it is a certain caution . . . it doesn't change policy orientation. We can reshuffle; it serves some purpose but what are we doing about the policies? he queried.

According to him a reshufle may serve some purpose but it is not a final solution to the problem.

Listen to his submission on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Tuesday