A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asah Asante, has said that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not fired Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta because the two men are related.
According to him, Akufo-Addo would have fired the finance minister long ago if he wasn’t related to him (Ofori-Atta).
Speaking in a Peace FM interview Dr Asante added that the difficulty Akufo-Addo is having sacking Ofori-Atta is why it is not advisable for presidents to appoint their relatives in top government positions.
“I am not in President Akufo-Addo’s mind, but as a political science lecturer, I can give an indication as to why he is refusing to sack Ofori Atta. Aristotle, who is considered the father of political science, said that a president can employ anybody, he wants, but he should be careful when he is employing his family and his friends.
“The reason Aristotle gave was that it will be difficult for the president to reprimand his relatives whom he has appointed if they don’t perform well in their roles. And I think this is the point our president has gotten to now.
“I believe that if a different person was the finance minister, he would have been gone by now… I understand him. Sometimes when our leaders are facing difficulties, they are not able to tell anybody,” he said in Twi.
Dr Asante further stated that the action of the president will certainly affect the electoral fortunes of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He added that the issue of Ofori-Atta being relieved of his duties has gotten to a point where the council of elders of the NPP should intervene.
