Dr Donkor, Palgrave clash over appointment of NIB MD’s

By Selorm GBORBIDZI, Accra

Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security, Palgrave Boakye Boakye-Danquah, and Ranking Member on the Employment, Social Welfare, and State Enterprises Committee, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, engaged in heated disagreement over the appointment of the new Managing Director of the National Investment Bank (NIB).

Their clash unfolded during a discussion on Zed In The Morning, the flagship morning show of Zed 101.9fm, where both politicians vigorously defended their opposing stances.

Dr. Donkor vehemently called for the revocation of the appointment of Tweneboa Kodua Fokuo as MD of NIB.

He argued that Fokuo’s decision to contest in the New Patriotic Party’s Parliamentary Primaries in the Manso Nkwanta Constituency should have prompted an automatic resignation from his position as Deputy MD of NIB.

Dr. Donkor criticized the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) for not compelling Fokuo to resign, questioning the timing and appropriateness of his appointment as MD of a struggling financial institution.

He accused the Presidency and the Ministry of Finance of colluding to elevate Fokuo to the MD position, suggesting that partisan interests may have overshadowed national interests in the decision-making process.

He also criticized the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for allegedly neglecting its responsibility to thoroughly vet appointments of principal officers in financial institutions.

On the contrary, Mr. Boakye-Danquah hailed the appointment as one of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s commendable decisions for NIB given the current circumstances.

He stressed that the President carefully considered Mr. Fokuo’s banking expertise before making the appointment.

Dismissing claims that appointing an active politician as the MD of NIB would further politicize State Owned Enterprises (SOE), Boakye-Danquah emphasized the importance of focusing on Mr. Fokuo’s competence rather than his political affiliation.

He emphasized Fokuo’s Ghanaian citizenship and extensive experience, asserting confidence in his ability to perform professionally.

Boakye-Danquah expressed certainty that Fokuo would effectively manage the bank’s affairs and stabilize it before the peak of the campaign period.

He emphasized Fokuo’s broad network, acquired through his roles at Barclays and ABSA in London and Johannesburg, respectively, as assets that would enhance NIB’s stability and viability.

In light of these considerations, Boakye-Danquah dismissed calls for Fokuo’s appointment to be revoked, advocating instead for supporting Fokuo’s leadership to achieve the bank’s objectives.