Ghana’s former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been declared a wanted fugitive by the country’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on allegations of corruption and financial misconduct.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng accused Ofori-Atta of causing financial loss to the state in high-profile government transactions and warned that he must either return voluntarily or face forced extradition.
Ofori-Atta, who served under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, is alleged to have authorized the release of substantial state funds for the controversial National Cathedral project in Accra, initially planned to be privately funded. Reports indicate that $58 million in public funds were spent on the stalled project, sparking public outrage. Additionally, he is accused of approving the disbursement of $11.8 million at the request of the presidential chief of staff.
Beyond the cathedral project, Ofori-Atta is also implicated in a controversial $83 million contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML), which was allegedly awarded without the legally required Public Procurement Authority approval. Transparency concerns have been raised about the payments made under his tenure.
Anti-corruption organizations, including the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), have long demanded Ofori-Atta’s prosecution, with some filing lawsuits against him and the GRA to recover misappropriated public funds.
The new government of President John Mahama has vowed a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, launching the “Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL)” initiative, which has received over 2,000 complaints against former government officials.
Authorities have not disclosed Ofori-Atta’s current whereabouts, but the OSP has vowed to pursue legal action and ensure his return to face justice.
