Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta
Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister-designate for Finance and Economic Planning, has written to Parliament’s Appointments Committee requesting a rescheduling of his planned ministerial vetting.
He explained that the request is on health grounds.
Mr Ofori-Atta was originally expected to meet with the Appointments Committee on February 16, 2021, but that could not happen as he left the country to the US to seek medical attention.
A public communication from the Finance Ministry on Sunday, February 14, 2021 said the Minister-designate, after recovering from COVID-19, suffered some complications whose treatment facilities are not available in the country, hence was leaving to the US to be attended to.
Letter to committee
Mr Ofori-Atta is said to have, on the same day, sent a letter to the Chairman of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Joe Osei Owusu, informing the committee of his inability to be present on the scheduled date.
“I will travel to the United States of America to undergo a required medical intervention currently not available in Ghana. I am expected to be away for two weeks… Therefore, I kindly request your direction on arranging a new date for my appearance before the committee. The Ministry of Finance is available to discuss the necessary consequential processes to arrange an alternative date,” Mr Ofori-Atta’s letter stated.
Rumours
Meanwhile, on Monday, February 16, Mr Ofori-Atta’s personal assistant dispelled rumours that the former Finance Minister has succumbed to post-Covid-19 complications.
“He is in good spirits. He sends his regards,” the text message concluded.
The message was accompanied by a picture of the minister-designate and his wife, Professor Angela Ofori-Atta, sitting at a waiting area at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
About The Author
