Adu Boahen removal won’t affect 2023 Budget, IMF negotiations — Institute for Fiscal Studies
The country’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout programme will not be affected by the removal of the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen, a fiscal policy think tank, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), has said.
It said it did not also expect his removal to affect the ongoing preparation of the 2023 Budget scheduled to be read by November 25.
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The Head of Research at the institute, Dr Said Boakye, told the Graphic Business on November 14 that as a Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Mr Boahen was equivalent to an assistant and his absence would mean less to policies and programmes being discussed with the fund or prepared to be factored into the 2023 Budget and Policy Statement.
Dr Boakye, however, said the removal of Mr Boahen could mean that the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, had lost a friend and confidant.
“But if he has strong personal relations with the Minister of Finance, then the minister will lose someone he trusts.
“If that is the case, it will affect the management of the ministry, not the economy.
“And so if there is someone who will lose in this, it is the minister who may lose a confidant,” the economic researcher said.
Allegations
Dr Boakye, who was a Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Finance between 2008 and 2013, was speaking to the paper on the impact of the termination of the minister’s appointment by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over allegations of impropriety.
The Presidency announced the removal of Mr Boahen, who was appointed to the position in 2021, on November 14, citing revelations contained in an undercover investigative document by ace investigator Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
A statement from the Presidency said after being made aware of the allegations, the President spoke to Mr Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment.
It said the minister and the alleged conduct had also been referred to the Special Prosecutor for further investigation.
The expose is titled ‘Galamsey Economy’.
Assistant role
Commenting on the impact of the development on the negotiations with the IMF for a fund-assisted programme, Dr Boakye said he expected the discussions and the budget preparation processes to continue smoothly in spite of the termination of Mr Boahen’s appointment.
He, however, said Mr Boahen’s removal would only create a hold if he was possessing technical competences that would be missed in his absence.
“As an assistant, if he had some technical competences that the minister was using, then there can be holes, but if it is just one of those assistants or deputies who represent the minister whenever he is not there, then there is no cause for alarm,” he said.
He added that he did not see Mr Boahen as someone with a special expertise but rather as the mouthpiece of the Ministry of Finance on issues of the economy.
“He sometimes defends the ministry, but that is not directly related to the work and someone else can do that,” Dr Boakye added.