The Minority in Parliament has strongly opposed the nomination of Dr. Johnson Asiamah as Governor of the Bank of Ghana, citing legal, procedural, and ethical concerns. Addressing the media, Dr. Gideon Boako, Member of Parliament for Tano North, expressed the Minority’s discontent over Dr. Asiamah’s premature assumption of duties and his past legal troubles.
Dr. Boako reminded the public that the appointment of a Central Bank governor requires consultation with the Council of State, as per Article 183(4)(a) of the Constitution. However, he accused Dr. Asiamah of overstepping his authority by acting as governor before receiving the necessary approval.
“Dr. Johnson Asiamah cannot legally operate as Governor until his nomination is approved. Yet, we have seen reports of him engaging with departments and making decisions at the Bank of Ghana. This raises serious legal and constitutional concerns,” Dr. Boako stated.
The Minority has formally written to President John Mahama, urging him to ensure due process is followed. They argue that if the Council of State, when constituted, rejects Dr. Asiamah’s nomination, his prior actions at the Central Bank could expose the institution to legal risks.
Beyond procedural concerns, the Minority also questioned Dr. Asiamah’s suitability based on past allegations against him. The former Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana had been facing criminal charges, including fraudulent breach of trust, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit a crime, before his nomination. However, President Mahama’s administration withdrew these charges just days before his appointment.
“How can someone previously on trial for financial misconduct be appointed to lead the very institution tasked with preventing such crimes? This raises credibility concerns, especially as Ghana remains under an IMF program,” Dr. Boako argued.
The Minority cited a 2019 statement from the Bank of Ghana, which criticized Dr. Asiamah’s handling of the financial sector crisis, particularly his inaction in addressing the insolvency of UT Bank and Capital Bank. According to them, his past decisions contributed to the collapse of several financial institutions.
The Minority fears that Dr. Asiamah’s appointment could harm Ghana’s international reputation and financial credibility. They plan to petition the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to scrutinize his role, as he will represent Ghana on the IMF Board of Governors.
“Political and economic risk analysts will not be kind to Ghana. International financial institutions may hesitate to engage with the country due to uncertainties surrounding Dr. Asiamah’s past charges, which could be reinstated by a future administration,” Dr. Boako warned.
The Minority vowed to escalate the matter beyond the press conference, committing to further engagements with the Attorney General and international financial bodies.
