Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has challenged the Minority Caucus to support calls for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana and account for the country’s debt burden.
Mr Ayariga argued that the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration’s economic management left ordinary Ghanaians bearing the cost of efforts to restore the economy.
Contributing to the debate on the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Thursday, July 23, the Majority Leader questioned the whereabouts of Ken Ofori-Atta and called for the former Finance Minister to return to the country to answer questions about Ghana’s debt situation.
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“Where is the man who put us in debt? Where is Ken Ofori-Atta? After borrowing recklessly and creating the debt, he has gone and is hiding in the United States of America. We must bring Ken Ofori-Atta back,” Mr Ayariga said.
He added: “Ken Ofori-Atta should be brought back to account to the good people of Ghana for why he so grossly mismanaged our finances and left ordinary Ghanaians to struggle to fix the economy while he enjoys himself in the United States of America.”
Hail Ato Forson
The Majority Leader contrasted the economic management of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta with that of the current Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
According to Mr Ayariga, the current government is managing the economy without relying on the taxes and heavy borrowing that, in his view, characterised the previous administration.
“We were in this country, in this Parliament, and there was a Finance Minister who told us that he could not run this economy without taxing our mobile money transfers,” he said.
“Today, we have a Finance Minister who has abolished all those taxes, and yet he is successfully managing our economy. We have a Finance Minister who is not borrowing recklessly, but is successfully managing our economy.”
Mr Ayariga commended Dr Ato Forson for what he described as prudent economic management, saying the Finance Minister had “given a good account of himself” through policies aimed at stabilising the economy while easing the tax burden on Ghanaians.
The Majority Leader criticised the previous NPP administration over its spending priorities, contrasting them with what he described as the current government’s focus on education and infrastructure development.
He argued that government resources are now being channelled into schools, roads and bridges instead of projects such as the National Cathedral.
According to Mr Ayariga, the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review demonstrates that resources are being invested in expanding educational infrastructure, improving existing schools and undertaking major road projects across the country.
He expressed confidence in Dr Ato Forson’s stewardship of the economy and declared that “Ghana is working again” under the current Finance Minister.
Mr Ayariga subsequently urged Parliament to commend Dr Forson for what he described as his performance in managing the country’s economy.
His comments added to the sharp political exchanges that characterised the debate on the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, with the Majority defending the government’s economic record while the Minority continued to raise concerns about aspects of the Finance Minister’s presentation.