Finance Minister Consults Pastor Otabil, Rev. Adei & Others For Inputs Into 2017 Budget

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has revealed that he has met up with the founder of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr. Mensa Otabil and other high profile Ghanaians, including Prof. Stephen Adei, as he prepares for his budget presentation in Parliament next month.

Mr. Ofori Atta, is set to present the government’s first budget since they won the 2016 elections.

He has promised the budget will offer relief to businesses and also create a conducive environment for entrepreneurship.

Speaking at a forum in Accra, Mr. Ofori Atta, said he would take risks in the budget, despite the financial challenges facing the country.

“My challenge is to free the economic space so that people can use the genius of the entrepreneurship that we know is deeply embedded in us; and I have been asking myself how I am going to do all that. So yesterday for example, after realising that you are moving into the calculus of the numbers, I called a breakfast meeting in the morning with Otabil and Stephen Adei and Patrick and I asked; guys what are the bold things we should do in this budget. I think we need to think out some risks, some bold and imaginative risks,” he said.

Stephen Adei among other qualifications such as a PhD (Econs, Sydney), MSc (Strathclyde), BSc. (Legon), holds Bachelor of Divinity from a school in London.

He was onetime Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management Public Administration (GIMPA).

Both Dr. Mensa Otabil and Stephen Adei, have at various times been anti-NDC and its flagbearers.

While, Stephen Adei, had in the past accused President Mahama of practicing nepotism, he has never had any kind words for any NDC government starting from Jerry John Rawlings, John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama.

Dr. Mensa Otabil, never took part in the National Prayer session which started under the late President Mills, despite several invitations. Other men of God attended the event, which continued under President Mahama.

During the 2012 election campaign, he held a press conference hitting had at the John Mahama campaign, for using a voice of him kicking against the free education policy by the Nana Akufo-Addo, whose campaign was hinged on the Free SHS policy. President Akufo-Addo, has since announced that the policy would commence in September, this year.

He, however, graces and speaks at events such as the William Ofori-Atta Memorial Lectures organized by the Ofori-Atta family, who are NPP.

While, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is on the Central University College Board, Dr. Otabil, is also on the Databank Financial Service Board, owned by Ken.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ofori Atta, also gave the assurance that government would not touch the Heritage fund, as it explores ways to finance the free SHS policy.

“We are financing the Free SHS education without looking at the Heritage Fund. We are not touching the Heritage Fund. I think we have enough resources from our envelope to be able to do it without touching the Heritage Fund…We will not touch the Heritage Fund…there is going to be a budget allocation for that and it does not include the Heritage Fund.”