A photo collage of Dr. Stephen Amoah (L) and Kissi Agyebeng
The Member of Parliament of Nhyiaeso, Dr. Stephen Amoah, has refuted claims that former Minister of Finance, Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has fled the country to evade investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Speaking on the Floor of Parliament on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, he criticised the political culture that has led to the vilification of public officials, stressing that Parliament’s actions and omissions over the years have shaped how external stakeholders and the public perceive them.
“Ken Ofori-Atta hasn’t run away. I would like to advise this august House that I think our actions and omissions over the years have actually defined us and we have given the public, the external stakeholders to always see us in different lenses. It is time we put an end to what we are doing to each other,” he stated.
He also condemned some of the narratives surrounding Ofori-Atta’s tenure.
“Some of the descriptions they give… I cannot repeat those evil words they use in this House,” he noted.
Dr. Amoah warned that such political attacks do not only affect individuals, but also damage Ghana’s international reputation.
“Very soon, your ministers will be leaving Ghana for international assignments, and this is what they will read from your own lips,” he indicated.
He strongly opposed what he termed ‘outmoded, colloquial, primitive politics,’ but after an objection from the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, he withdrew the term “primitive politics,” while maintaining his position that Parliament must do better.
“We have been doing this to ourselves for far too long. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there, even if you are driving a Land Cruiser, they think you are a politician. Whether NDC or NPP, they don’t respect us,” he lamented.
He urged Parliament to move past political propaganda and focus on maintaining the integrity of the House.
“Ken Ofori-Atta, until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, cannot be described and defined as somebody who is criminal,” he asserted.
At a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, announced that all indications point out that Ken Ofori-Atta has absconded from Ghana in an attempt to escape investigation into the alleged corruption cases.
“OSP declares Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori Atta a wanted fugitive. Ken Ofori-Atta, you have two choices, you can return to the jurisdiction voluntarily or face the consequences,” he stated.
JKB/AE
In the meantime, watch the story of the Ghanaian team that rode motorbikes from Accra to Dakar and back in 17 days, below: