Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has called for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana to account for what he described as the country’s worsening debt burden under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
Contributing to the debate on the 2026 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review in Parliament on Thursday, July 24, Mr. Ayariga accused the former Finance Minister of borrowing excessively and mismanaging the economy before leaving the country.
“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,” he said.
The Majority Leader argued that Mr. Ofori-Atta owed Ghanaians an explanation for the state of the country’s finances during his tenure.
“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,” he added.
Mr. Ayariga contrasted the performance of the current Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, with that of his predecessor, asserting that the economy is being managed effectively without imposing additional taxes or relying on excessive borrowing.
“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.
“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,” he stated.
He praised Dr. Forson for what he described as prudent fiscal management, saying the Finance Minister had demonstrated sound leadership through policies aimed at stabilising the economy while easing the tax burden on citizens.
Mr. Ayariga also criticised the previous NPP administration’s spending priorities, arguing that the current government was directing resources towards essential infrastructure rather than projects such as the National Cathedral.
According to him, the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review demonstrates the government’s commitment to expanding educational infrastructure, rehabilitating schools and undertaking major road and bridge projects across the country.
Expressing confidence in the Finance Minister’s stewardship, the Majority Leader declared that “Ghana is working again” under the current administration and urged Parliament to commend Dr. Forson for his management of the economy.
