The Office of the Special Prosecutor, Ghana’s independent anti-corruption State Agency has declared on Wednesday, February 12, former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive.
During a press briefing, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng stated: “The fugitive’s name is Kenneth Ofori-Atta”. He made this declaration on the grounds that Ofori-Atta caused financial loss to the State through several dealings, including the construction of the National Cathedral in the national capital, Accra and the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) involvement with Strategic Mobilization Ghana Ltd (SML), an alleged fraud in tax collection in the country’s petroleum sector.
The former minister is wanted due to his role in the construction of the National Cathedral, a project promised by former President Akufo-Addo. Mr Ofori-Atta authorised the release of state funds for the project. In 2020, at the request of President Akufo-Addo’s Chief of Staff, he approved the disbursement of a substantial ¢142.7 million for the National Cathedral project. Despite this, the construction has stalled, with accusations of mismanagement of the funds. Additionally, it has emerged that the board of trustees, led by Rev. Kusi Boateng, mishandled a significant portion of the funds, and Mr Ofori-Atta has been criticised for releasing the money without ensuring proper value for money and accountability.
In 2019, GRA made a payment exceeding ₵1 billion to SML under his supervision, without the required approval from the Public Procurement Authority, as mandated by the constitution. This payment covered services related to transaction audits, measurement audits of downstream petroleum products, and other agreements. Over the years, anti-corruption agencies and individuals, including the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), have called for the prosecution of Mr Ofori-Atta for these actions, which they argue have led to corruption. The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken over the case, declaring Ofori-Atta wanted and a fugitive of justice. According to the OSP, he has shown no intention of voluntarily returning to the jurisdiction and warned that it will take all necessary legal steps to secure his return. “You have two choices: either return to the jurisdiction voluntarily or the OSP will enforce your return,” the OSP stated.