The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga has asked the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, why former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has not returned to Ghana from the United States.
Mahama Ayariga noted that Mr Ofori-Atta was sick when he was the Finance Minister and was in Ghana before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost the 2024 general elections. But immediately after the elections, he left the country to seek medical care in the US.
In parliament on Friday, November 21, he said, “Ken Ofori-Atta was sick when he was a Finance Minister; we all saw it, and he stayed in Ghana. How come today, he has refused to return when he’s being sought after by the law enforcement agencies?”
Responding to him, Afenyo-Markin also said, “Mr. Ofori-Atta has been bold to disclose his medical condition. Let it be known that we all may go through health issues one way or the other. Don’t create the impression that he’s refused to return to Ghana.”
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged Mr Ofori-Atta and seven for various corruption-related offences.
The OSP said that the accused persons in the Republic v Kenneth Ofori-Atta and 7 others will face the court on Monday, November 24.
The OSP, in the morning of Tuesday, November 18, formally charged former Minister for Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta and 7 others with 78 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences.
Ernest Darko Akore, Emmanuel Kofi Nti, Ammishaddai Owusu Amoah, Isaac Crenstil, Kwadwo Damoah, Evans Adusei, and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
Mr Ofori-Atta will be tried in absentia because he has not returned to Ghana from his trip to the United States.
- Ernest Akore, former Chef de Cabinet to the former Minister of Finance
- Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner-General of the GRA
- Rev Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, former Commissioner-General of the GRA
- Isaac Crentsil, former Commissioner of the Customs Division of the GRA and General Manager for Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited
- Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioner of the Customs Division of the GRA and Member of Parliament for Jaman South
It is recalled that at a press briefing on Thursday, October 30, following a comprehensive investigation, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng said the investigation uncovered evidence of serious financial irregularities involving top officials of the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), as well as individuals connected to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).
Mr Agyebeng explained that each of the named individuals will face charges of corruption and corruption-related offences before the end of next month.
“The outcome of the investigation is that the OSP will charge the following persons with various corruption and corruption-related offences before the end of November 2025,” the OSP said.
In addition, Mr Agyebeng disclosed that the OSP will recover GH₵125 million from Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML). This amount, he said, represents an unjust enrichment the company obtained “unfairly at the expense of the Republic.”“The OSP will recover a total amount of GH₵125 from SML by way of disgorgement of unjust enrichment of overpayment by the return of the benefit this amount obtained unfairly at the expense of the Republic,” he said.
