Ghana’s former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was declared wanted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, at a press briefing in Accra, disclosed that the former finance minister, who served for over seven years under the government of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is a suspect in several investigations related to corruption and corruption-related offences.
He stated that all attempts to get Ofori-Atta, who is currently outside Ghana, to appear before investigators have proven futile, hence the decision to declare him wanted.
The OSP’s investigations have implicated the former minister in corruption and corruption-related offences linked to the construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana, the revenue assurance deal between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), and the cancellation of a contract with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Several international media outlets, including the British state broadcaster, BBC, Bloomberg and others have reported on the OSP’s declaration of Ofori-Atta as a fugitive.
Here are some of the reports:
BBC:
Ghana’s ex-finance minister declared a fugitive
Ghana’s former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been declared a fugitive by prosecutors over his alleged involvement in multiple corruption cases when he was in government.
Ofori-Atta had left Ghana to evade investigations, and all necessary steps would be taken to bring him back, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyabeng said.
Ofori-Atta has been accused of causing financial losses to the state, including over a controversial national cathedral, which remains a hole in the ground despite the alleged spending of $58m (£46.6m) of government money.
Ofori-Atta has not commented on the allegations. According to Agyabeng, the ex-minister’s lawyers said he was out of the country for medical reasons.
Agyabeng told a press conference that Ofori-Atta, 66, failed to attend an interview with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), despite being told he was a suspect.
Ofori-Atta left Ghana in early January, and had no intention of “willingly” returning, Agyabeng said.
The OSP was, therefore, declaring him a “wanted person”.
“He is a fugitive from justice,” the special prosecutor added.
Ofori-Atta was finance minister from January 2017 to February 2024, when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in power.
It lost elections in December to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
President John Mahama, who was inaugurated in January, went on to establish an investigative committee known as Operation Recover All Loot.
The committee has received over 200 complaints of corruption, amounting to more than $20bn in recoverable funds.
Mahama has directed the attorney general and minister of justice to launch investigations into these allegations, stating that Ghana will no longer be a safe haven for corruption.
However, some Ghanaians have criticised him for discontinuing cases against his former allies on trial.
Bloomberg:
Ghana Former Finance Minister Declared a Fugitive by Prosecutor
Ghana’s special prosecutor has declared former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, a wanted person after he failed to meet with authorities to answer questions over alleged wrongdoing.
Ofori-Atta, who held the position for seven years from 2017, was replaced as minister last February by former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng declared Ofori-Atta wanted Wednesday after he failed to confirm an appointment date with the prosecutor’s office “to answer to charges relating to” payments made for a controversial national cathedral project, and other issues for which few details were provided.
Lawyers for Ofori-Atta, 66, told the prosecutor’s office he was unable to honor the request to meet because he is outside the country “indefinitely” for medical attention, Agyebeng said. Agyebeng then said his office is “unconvinced” that Ofori-Atta is unable to return to Ghana.
“Consequently, the Office of the Special Prosecutor declares Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta a wanted person,” he said. “He is a fugitive from justice.”
Ofori-Atta did not respond to calls and messages sent to his mobile phone.
Widely considered one of the most influential people in the Akufo-Addo administration, the former minister faced criticism as it became clear that the country, once seen as a regional investor darling, couldn’t keep up with debt payments, which were consuming more than half of government revenue.
In December 2022, Ofori-Atta narrowly survived a parliamentary motion to have him removed. And for more than a year, Akufo-Addo fended off critics, saying Ofori-Atta should be allowed to complete negotiations with the International Monetary Fund to secure a $3 billion bailout, which he did, and to reach an agreement with creditors to restructure much of Ghana’s 575.5 billion cedis ($37 billion) of debt at the time.
The Africa Report:
Wanted man: Why Ghana’s former finance minister Ken Ofori‑Atta faces arrest
Ofori-Atta is implicated in multiple high-profile corruption cases and has been placed on a wanted list for refusing to cooperate with the investigations, while his legal team has said that he is indefinitely out of the country for medical reasons.
Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has declared former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive, placing him on its wanted list for failing to appear for questioning on multiple corruption investigations.
This dramatic turn of events comes amid the John Mahama government’s renewed anti-corruption campaign, dubbed Operation Recover All Loot, aimed at retrieving state assets allegedly lost to corruption and mismanagement.
What are the allegations against Ofori-Atta?
Special prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday (12 February), announced that Ofori-Atta had refused to cooperate with the OSP’s investigations. The former minister, who served from 2017 to early 2024 under the administration of his cousin, former President Nana Akufo-Addo, is implicated in multiple high-profile corruption investigations. These include:
1. Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) & GRA contract: The OSP is probing a contract between SML and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) aimed at improving revenue assurance in the petroleum and minerals sector.
2. Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Beijing Jao contract: Investigators are examining the termination of a loss reduction and network improvement project between ECG and Beijing Technology Limited.
3. National Cathedral procurement: Ofori-Atta is also under investigation for financial irregularities in the procurement process and contracts related to the National Cathedral project initiated by former president Akufo-Addo.
4. Ministry of health ambulance contracts: The OSP is investigating contracts awarded to Service Ghana Auto Group Limited for the procurement and servicing of 307 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter ambulances.
5. GRA’s tax refund payments: The use and disbursement of tax refunds by the GRA are also under scrutiny.
The OSP says despite multiple invitations, Ofori-Atta has evaded questioning, prompting his official designation as a fugitive. His legal team, however, claims he is indefinitely out of the country for medical reasons.
Medical excuse under scrutiny
Ofori-Atta’s lawyers have provided a letter from a foreign doctor stating that he is undergoing medical evaluation and treatment. However, the special prosecutor remains unconvinced.
“Ofori-Atta had been sick and evaluated and… undergoing further testing and management and possible further intervention at an indicated future time,” Agyebeng read from the letter. Despite this, he said the OSP would take all necessary steps to bring the former finance minister to justice.
Who raided Ofori-Atta’s residence?
The controversy escalated further when reports emerged that armed men in military uniforms had raided Ofori-Atta’s residence in Cantonments on Tuesday, 11 February. The OSP denied any involvement.
“Ofori-Atta, the OSP did not raid your house on Tuesday, or any other day,” Agyebeng said, insisting that any such operation would have been conducted transparently. The special prosecutor said the incident was either staged or an attempt to discredit the OSP and derail investigations.
Mahama’s anti-corruption drive
Ofori-Atta’s designation as a fugitive comes at a time when President John Mahama’s government is ramping up its anti-corruption campaign, Operation Recover All Loot. The initiative is focused on retrieving public funds allegedly lost through questionable contracts, mismanagement and corruption.
The campaign has led to increased scrutiny of major financial dealings under the Akufo-Addo administration, including the national cathedral project and government procurement contracts. The OSP’s latest move against Ofori-Atta signals a broader push to hold former government officials accountable.
What happens next?
The declaration of Ofori-Atta as a fugitive raises questions about whether the government will seek international cooperation to facilitate his return. While his legal team maintains that he is unavailable due to medical reasons, the OSP appears determined to ensure he faces justice.
The case is shaping up to be a litmus test for Ghana’s fight against corruption. If Ofori-Atta is successfully brought before investigators, it could set a precedent for other high-profile corruption cases. However, if he remains abroad indefinitely, it may fuel suspicions of political bias or selective justice in the Mahama government’s anti-graft drive.
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