Hamza Sayibu Suhuyini, a member of the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) communication team, has absolved former President William Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the exit of former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, from Ghana.
Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, a former Minister of Finance in the Akufo-Addo administration, is a subject of investigation and currently facing charges from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Mr. Ofori-Atta left the country in early January, before the new administration took over, after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost power in the December 2024 elections.
The Special Prosecutor, William Kissi Agyebeng, has complained that other state institutions failed to help him restrict Ofori-Atta from leaving the country, citing his ties with the then President, Akufo-Addo, as the reason he was granted permission to leave.
Speaking on TV3’s current affairs show, The KeyPoints, on Saturday, November 29, 2025, Suhuyini, who is also a legal practitioner, indicated that Kissi Agyebeng should have put in effort to stop Ofori-Atta from leaving the country, rather than allowing him to leave and then accusing state institutions of not cooperating with him.
“The question I’m asking is that, if you feel that they shouldn’t have cleared him, did you write to these offices to indicate that either President Nana Akufo-Addo or National Security that this gentleman is a subject of interest in an ongoing investigation and so your Excellency, the decision to grant him permission to travel, you shouldn’t have?”
Suhuyini further explained that the fact that Ghanaians have challenges with the Akufo-Addo administration does not mean the OSP can push the blame of Ofori-Atta’s exit on the administration without taking responsibility for its Office’s failure.
“To the extent that there was no such correspondence to the Office, we will not just join you because as a country we have issues with the Akufo-Addo governance to conclude that President Akufo-Addo granted him the permission to travel so that he could run away, and so we should blame President Akufo-Addo.
“What did you do as an independent Special Prosecutor to prompt the Office of the President that that gentleman ought not to have been granted the permission and the permission should be revoked?” Suhuyini quizzed.
Meanwhile, the OSP had announced that Ken Ofori-Atta and seven others will be arraigned on Monday, November 24, 2025, to face 78 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences.
The Office indicated in a social media update on Thursday, November 20, 2025, that “the prosecution will seek the necessary court orders to serve the charge sheets on fugitives who are currently outside the jurisdiction.”
This follows the official charging of the Finance Minister, Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), and six former high-ranking officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Ministry of Finance.
The accused persons include Ernest Darko Akore, aged 67, former Chef de Cabinet to the Minister of Finance; Emmanuel Kofi Nti (66), former Commissioner-General of GRA; and Rev. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah (64), also a former Commissioner-General of GRA.
The others are Isaac Crentsil (63) and Kwadwo Damoah (65), both former Commissioners of the Customs Division of GRA; Evans Adusei (62), CEO and beneficial owner of SML; and the company itself, Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd, formerly Strategic Mobilisation Enhancement Ltd.
The charges are linked to a sophisticated and long-running alleged scheme described by the prosecution as a “criminal enterprise” that operated between 2017 and 2024.
The alleged conspiracy involved collusion between senior public officials and SML to illegally award contracts and syphon over GHC1.4 billion from the state through fraudulent procurement processes and payments for services that were never rendered.
