OSP declares former Finance Minister Ofori-Atta wanted to answer charges on National Cathedral and others

Ken Ofori-Atta – Wanted

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, a former Minister of Finance of Ghana, has been declared wanted by the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP). He is wanted to answer charges on activities and payments in respect of the National Cathedral project and others.

The 66-year-old Mr Ofori-Atta was the Minister of Finance between 2017 and 2024. 

He is currently out of the country. According to the OSP, he left Ghana on or around January 2, 2025. The OSP stated clearly that based on communications between the Office and Mr Ofori-Atta’s lawyers, he has no intention of returning to the country.

In a press briefing today February 12, 2025, the Special Prosecutor, Mr Kissi Adjebeng told journalists that he had signed a directive declaring a high-profile person a fugitive from justice, and that high profile person is Mr Ofori-Atta, he said.

According to the Special Prosecutor, Mr Ofori-Atta who has informed the OSP that he would be outside the country indefinitely for medical reasons is wanted to answer charges in respect of several cases including the  following: contractual arrangements between Strategic  Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana  Revenue Authority for the stated objective of  the enhancement of revenue assurance in the  downstream petroleum sector, upstream  petroleum production, and minerals and  metals resources value chain; termination of a Distribution, Loss Reduction and Associated Network Improvement Project contract between the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited and Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology (BXC); procurement of contractors and materials; and activities and payments in respect of the National Cathedral project; and activities and payments in respect of a contract awarded by the Ministry of Health (initially commenced by the Ministry for  Special Development Initiatives) to Service  Ghana Auto Group Limited for purchases  and after-sales service and maintenance of  307 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 305 CDI  ambulances for the National Ambulance  Service; and payments out of and utilization of the Tax Refund Account of Ghana Revenue Authority.

Read the full details of the briefing here.

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The OSP announced further that it has also commenced investigation into  suspected corruption and corruption-related  offences in respect of the operations of the  Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) – especially regarding payments made in respect of  Agyapa Royalties Limited; Small Scale Mining  Incubation Programme (SSMIP); Quarry Value  Addition Programme (QVAP); Asante Gold  Corporation; ElectroChem Ghana Limited;  Lithium Asset (projected lithium-focused  exploration and development corporation); Gold  Asset 2 (Enchi gold project); all other  investments by MIIF; funds expended on the  Chairman of the Board of Directors; the  operational funds of MIIF; purchase of parcel of  land for intended office building; contracts and  agreements entered into by MIIF; and  publications by MIIF.  

It said, the investigation targets two former officials and two serving officials of the Fund. 

It added that it has also commenced investigation into  suspected corruption and corruption-related  offences in respect of an alleged embezzlement  of GH¢1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum  Pricing Fund (UPPF) at the National Petroleum  Authority (NPA). 

The investigation primarily targets the Coordinator of the UPPF, Jacob Amuah; NPA  staff, Freda Tandoh, Wendy Ashong Newman, and a former Chief Executive of  NPA, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid. 

By Emmanuel K Dogbevi

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