Addison is a competent professional of quiet courage – Ofori-Atta defends BoG Governor

The Minister of Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, has jumped to the defence of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Kwamina Yedu Addison, over the recent criticisms after he posted a GH¢60.8-billion loss in 2022.

Mr Ofori-Atta said Dr Addison, just like him, has faced major economic hurdles since 2017 but managed to scale them fairly.

He, therefore, expressed surprise about the current state of public discourse, which has seen Dr Addison “being pilloried for his good work”.

“Governor Addison is a competent professional of quiet courage,” Mr Ofori-Atta wrote on Wednesday, September 13.

“In these nearly seven years, we have worked together to ensure: the inviolability of the banking system; the establishment of the Consolidated Bank of Ghana (CBG) and the Development Bank of Ghana; the raising of over $10 billion in the Eurobond market and AfriExim bank.

“He brought inflation down to single digits of 7.9% for the first time; and managed an impressive period of currency stability in our country including the implementation of the Gold-for-Oil programme.

“It is either simply the height of irony or a sad reflection of the state of public discourse in our country that this man, steps up in a period of unprecedented global economic meltdown and domestic economic crises, and he is being pilloried for his good work.”

This comes after the Minority in Parliament called for the Governor’s head.

The caucus had given him and his two governors – Dr Maxwell Opoku Afari and Elsie Awadzi Addo – 21 days within which to resign.

Members led by Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson had also attempted on two occasions to lead a march to the headquarters of the Central Bank to prosecute this agenda. Both were met with resistance from the Ghana Police Service, who claimed the office was a security zone.

Agreement has been reached for the march dubbed #OccupyBOGProtest to be staged on Tuesday, October 3.