Broadcaster, Okatakyie Afrifa Mensa has suggested that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta makes huge sums of money from the government, even though he (Ofori-Atta) says he does not take a salary or any allowance as a minister.
He alleged that even though Ofori-Atta says he works for the government for free, the bank he allegedly owns, Data Bank, made over GH¢39 million between 2018 to 2020 for facilitating loans acquired by the government.
In an XYY TV monitored by GhanaWeb, the journalist claimed that because the finance minister knew how he was going to pay himself, he brought staff from Data Bank to the ministry.
“Before Ofori-Atta became minister, the people who negotiated loan agreements for the government were less than five, but because he wanted to add Data Bank staff, he increased the number.
“… government raised GH¢10.57 billion in bonds in 2018, while Data Bank and the other four facilitators got GH¢10.57 million (over GH¢2 billion in total), according to Ofori-Atta. Ofori Atta also said that in 2019, a total of GH¢9.88 billion loans were raised, and Data Bank and the other JBRs got GH¢9.88 million. So, this means that the company, which belongs to Ofori Atta, who said he does not take pay, made GH¢20.45 million in 2 years.
“For 2020, Ofori-Atta said that the five JBRs executed new transactions which raised cumulatively about GH¢18 billion and each JBR was paid 18.83 million. This means that Ofori Atta’s Data Bank in 3 years made GH¢39.28 million. He is a bad person. He said he does not receive a salary from the government, but this is what he is doing,” he said in Twi.
The finance minister came under heavy public scrutiny after allegations by some notable people, including veteran broadcaster, Kwasi Kyei Darkwah, that he was making money from some international loan agreements the country entered into.
Documents shared by the South Dayi Member of Parliament (MP) Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor also suggested that the minister owns 11 percent of Data Bank, which many have said is a conflict of interest.
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