Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a member of parliament from North Tongo, has called Ken Ofori-usage Atta’s of scripture offensive and grating.
Ofori-Atta, the finance minister, began his speech on Thursday, February 16, 2023, in parliament by saying, “I come in peace.” He was there to discuss the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
He continued by quoting a line from Psalm 105 that exhorted believers to praise the Lord and let the world know of his mighty deeds.
“If I look at Psalm 105, it says ‘let’s give thanks and notes that we should rejoice with the Lord and make his great deeds known among people. So, we thank God, Mr Speaker for today and how far the Lord has brought us,” he said.
Nevertheless, in response to this, Ablakwa, the North Tongu Member of Parliament who was debating Ofori-presentation, Atta’s expressed disbelief at the selection of the Biblical passage and then went on to cite contradictory verses to condemn the finance minister.
“Mr. Speaker, what is even so obnoxious and irritating is the minister’s opening remarks that this is the time to rejoice in the Lord. Jesus Christ of Nazareth! The minister forgets that in Proverbs 29:2, the Bible says that when the wicked rule, the people mourn, the people groan, there is pain. There is pain and anxiety when the wicked rule,” he said.
The MP continued by saying that the fact that the minister could still celebrate despite the difficulties shows that the nation is in far more difficulty than he initially believed.
“This is no time to rejoice. If the minister is still rejoicing, then our problems are bigger than I ever imagined. Because it tells us that the president, his vice president, and his finance minister are in a bubble; they are totally out of touch. They are in a world of their own, and they are still in a rejoicing mood,” he said.
