Minority Leader Cautions BoG Governor: Avoid Becoming a Political Tool
Minority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has cautioned the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Asiama, against allowing himself to be drawn into political controversies.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament when the Governor appeared to respond to issues on the BoG’s new head office building, Mr Afenyo-Markin referenced past concerns about the Bank of Ghana’s regulatory role and warned against selective scrutiny of the central bank’s activities.
“I recall that in the 2015 State of the Nation Address, Mr President raised concerns about poor supervision of the banking sector by the Bank of Ghana. The governor today was the deputy governor then. Are we now picking and choosing which matters we want the governor to brief us on?” he questioned.
Addressing Dr Asiama directly, he urged him to remain independent and avoid being influenced by political interests.
“Mr Governor, don’t make yourself a tool for political football,” Afenyo-Markin cautioned, adding that “The role of the governor of the central bank is critical to the economy of this country. I do not want to politicise the office of the governor, and I urge others to do the same.”
He further advised the majority in Parliament to tread carefully in their handling of economic issues, warning that the approach being taken could harm the country’s financial stability.
The Effutu MP’s comments come after Dr Asiama was set to brief the House on the cost of the new Bank of Ghana headquarters.
However, the Minority opposed the briefing, with its leader arguing that the right procedure had not been followed. The Majority in Parliament insisted that there was nothing irregular about the procedure used.
