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Introduction
Ghana’s Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng, declared the country’s former minister and economic guru, Kenneth Ofori-Atta, a WANTED man for his role in some transactions under investigation.
Mr Ofori-Atta was de-listed within a month as a wanted fugitive, but what motivated the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s action?
The Man Ken Ofori-Atta
Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta is an investment banker who served as Ghana’s Finance Minister under his cousin, President Nana Akufo-Addo, from 2017 to 2024.
Kenneth was removed from office on Feb. 14, 2024, and Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Amin Adam replaced him. However, he was reassigned to the Presidency as the President’s advisor on international finance and private-sector investment.
Once touted as Ghana’s economic guru, Kenneth had the support of the then-governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers and rolled out many taxes, including the controversial 1.5% electronic levy (E-levy).
But his goodwill bank soon dried up. The 137-strong NPP MPs bared their mind to Kenneth and invited President Nana Akufo-Addo to remove him.
At least 80 pro-government legislators first started the protest and later had the overwhelming support of the others.
The then-Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, explained on Nov. 2, 2022, that:
“Even though the issue started with a group of 80-plus, the caucus meeting aligned with that group’s decision. So, it is no longer the cause of the 80-plus group. It is the agenda for the entire caucus.”
The lawmakers blamed Kenneth for the country’s worsening economy, which they claimed may result in the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.
President Nana Akufo-Addo retained Kenneth until his removal in 2024.
The president explained Kenneth’s removal: “I thought it was time for him to wind down and take on more narrow roles.”
Office of the Special Prosecutor declares Ken WANTED
Barely three months after the then-governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) suffered its most humiliating electoral defeat, the Office of the Special Prosecutor declared the regime’s darling boy Kenneth a political fugitive.
See media reports on the declaration here, here, here, here, and here.
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng, explained that Kenneth, currently out of the country, has failed to indicate when he will return to appear before the Office to respond to some questions about his role in the transactions under investigation.
The transactions the OSP is investigating are a contract between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana and the Ghana Revenue Authority, contract termination between the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Beijing Technology Limited, and procurement issues at the National Cathedral Project secretariat.
The other transactions involve Kenneth’s procurement of 307 ambulances for the National Ambulance Service and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)’s Tax Refund Account Payments.
“Mr Ofori-Atta is under investigation regarding contractual arrangements between Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to enhance revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and the minerals and metals resources value chain,” Kissi Agyabeng told the media.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor released a WANTED poster less than 24 hours after declaring Kenneth a fugitive.
The WANTED poster Ghana’s Special Prosecutor issued.
He explained, “The OSP is probing the termination of a distribution loss reduction and network improvement project contract between the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Beijing Technology Limited.”
Reactions from Ghanaians on the development
Ghanaians have had mixed reactions to OSP’s declaration of Kenneth as a political fugitive. One section describes it as a needless showcase of political power due to a change of government.
Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s Director of Legal Affairs, wondered why Kenneth could not be declared wanted.
“What exactly is the issue? Is it the issue that Kenneth Ofori-Atta is under investigation or the declaration that he is a fugitive or wanted? Which of them is their problem? Is he above being declared wanted or investigated?” he asked Accra-based TV 3.
Reacting to the OSP’s action, Ghanaian journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who investigated the contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), expressed satisfaction at the OSP’s investigation.
“The SML scandal I investigated with two other colleagues stinks to [heaven]. I’m happy Ken Ofori-Atta is being pursued by the OSP,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
But a traumatised Kenneth will make himself available to the Special Prosecutor for questioning, the minority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has said.
“Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, as of this morning, I had an extensive engagement with him. He is traumatised by the labelling of this adjective [fugitive] ascribed to his person, but he still knows that his God is with him. He is undergoing some medical procedures,” he told his colleague lawmakers.
Afenyo-Markin said, “In fact, I had an early morning engagement with the Chief of Staff who confirmed that Mr Ken Ofori-Atta wrote to him, and he is in receipt of the letter. So, within a reasonable time, I am sure he would come.”
He has cautioned against attacking the personality of the Special Prosecutor for declaring Kenneth wanted.
“I don’t think there was any reason to attack him… If there are disagreements, there are systems in place to address them. The OSP is a respected institution, and its work should be respected,” he said.
The OSP has removed Ken from the wanted list
In a remarkable turn of events, the Office of the Special Prosecutor removed Kenneth from its wanted list after receiving communication that he would be available to answer questions.
“Mr Ofori-Atta has been removed from the OSP’s list of wanted persons and is no longer considered a fugitive, provided he returns as agreed,” the OSP said less than a week after the declaration.
The OSP, however, cautioned that it will reinstate Kenneth on its wanted list if he fails to return or misses his rescheduled appointment as promised.
The Office further said it would take legal steps to ensure Ken appears for questioning.
Conclusion
The Special Prosecutor has given Kenneth until May 30, 2025, to respond to the OSP’s summons.
