Ken Ofori‑Atta, Ghana’s former Finance Minister, has been placed in the spotlight once again as his legal team challenges the OSP’s high-profile announcement to charge him in relation to alleged corruption linked to contracts between Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).
Allegations Against Ofori-Atta
The OSP indicated it plans to file charges by the end of November 2025, citing irregular contracts awarded to SML under Ofori-Atta’s tenure. The contracts, the agency alleges, involved use of public office for profit, and failure by SML to deliver expected services despite substantial payments from the GRA.
Lawyer’s Bold Stance: “He Will Appear”
Lead counsel for Ofori-Atta, Frank Davies, has publicly declared that the former minister is not afraid of prosecution and will appear in court if formally charged. He criticised the OSP for what he described as a media spectacle rather than a focused judicial process.
“Let them charge him and bring it. If he’s charged, he will come.”
The lawyer also challenged the OSP’s use of press briefings instead of immediate court action:
“A lawyer’s place is the courtroom, not standing behind microphones and spewing long and needless English.”
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Legal & Political Context
The OSP first opened investigations into Ofori-Atta in early 2025 over five major case strands: contracts between SML and the GRA; termination of an ECG contract; the abandoned National Cathedral project; ambulance procurement; and tax-refund account misuse.
Following his alleged non-compliance with summons, Ofori-Atta was declared a fugitive and placed on an Interpol Red Notice list.
What This Means for Ghana
- The case underlines Ghana’s renewed focus on accountability and anti-corruption enforcement under the current administration.
- It also raises questions about due process and the balance between investigative publicity and judicial fairness.
- For public-sector governance, the outcome will be a test of how far key figures can be held accountable within Ghana’s legal and institutional frameworks.
