Elikem Kotoko, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, has fired shots at the former Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to Elikem Kotoko, Ken Ofori-Atta, during his time as the finance minister, prioritised wearing white and bible quotes over substance in his budget readings.
He emphasised that Ofori-Atta was well noted for wearing white clothing and frequent Bible quotations during budget readings.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Monday, July 28, Mr Kotoko stated, “He was not clad in white and giving us Bible quotations; the accompanied Bible verses were a complete toast and total variation with the personality involved at the time, who has now been declared a fugitive”.
He further praised Dr Cassiel Ato Forson for restoring proficiency to the finance minister’s office.
Elikem Kotoko added that Ghana now has a finance minister who takes Ghanaians seriously.
“It gives me some sense of relief that for once, we have a Finance Minister who is serious and taking Ghanaians seriously,” he added.
In a related story, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Finance Minister, has fired shots at the former Akufo-Addo government for living a champagne lifestyle on an ‘akpeteshie’ budget.
Ato Forson noted that the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government did not have revenue, but they were just spending.
He noted that the NPP are worried because the NDC is being prudent in its spending.
Speaking in an interview on JOYNEWS after the budget presentation, Ato Forson stated, “The NPP used to spend what they didn’t have. They didn’t have revenue, but they were just spending. So they expect us to spend.
They were living large. I mean, they were living a champagne lifestyle on akpeteshie budget”.
He added, “If you live such a lifestyle and someone comes in and becomes very prudent, you will be worried. That is why they are complaining — they want us to spend as if there’s no tomorrow.
“We don’t do that. That is not our training. You spend within your means; what we have is what we’re spending, and we’re spending rightly,” he stressed.
Ato Forson further, during the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament, refuted claims that the Mahama administration was not spending.
Ato Forson emphasised that the Mahama administration is indeed spending, but they are spending at the right places.
According to Ato Forson, between January to June 2025, they have disbursed a total of GH¢114.5 billion in cash from the Consolidated Fund.
He revealed that the non-interest expenditures alone amount to GH¢84.2 billion.
Ato Forson added that payments have been made across various important areas since the beginning of 2025.
Speaking during the presentation of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Thursday, July 24, 2025, Dr Ato Forson stated, “Rt. Hon. Speaker, contrary to the perception that we are not spending, we are indeed spending—and spending at the right places. We are making the right investments”.
