By Miracle Ogunde
Ghana’s former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been declared wanted for corruption by the country’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). The announcement, made on Wednesday, accuses Ofori-Atta of authorising substantial state expenditure on the controversial National Cathedral project in Accra.
Ofori-Atta, who served under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, is also alleged to have approved the disbursement of $11.8 million at the request of the presidential chief of staff.
“You have two choices: either return to the jurisdiction voluntarily or the OSP will enforce your return,” said Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, accusing Ofori-Atta of causing financial loss to the state in high-profile government transactions.
The National Cathedral project, conceived by Akufo-Addo as a tribute to God following his 2016 electoral victory, was initially intended to be funded through private donations. However, reports that $58 million in public funds have been spent on the project, along with allegations of financial irregularities, have sparked public outrage.
According to an AFP report, despite the funds being released, construction of the cathedral has remained stalled for the past two years. Many critics view the project as a symbol of fiscal mismanagement.
Ofori-Atta has also been implicated in a controversial contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML), a company specialising in audit and insurance in the oil sector. Under his tenure, the GRA allegedly paid over $83 million to SML in 2019 without securing the legally required approval from the Public Procurement Authority. The payments, made for audit and verification services, have since been questioned over transparency and cost-effectiveness.
Anti-corruption groups, including the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), have consistently demanded Ofori-Atta’s prosecution. Several organisations have also taken legal action against him, the GRA, and SML, calling for accountability and the recovery of public funds.
The OSP has now taken over the investigation and is pursuing legal action against the former minister. Agyebeng noted that Ofori-Atta has shown no indication of voluntarily returning to Ghana to face the charges. Authorities have not disclosed his current whereabouts.
The administration of President John Mahama has pledged zero tolerance for corruption and vowed to hold former government officials accountable for alleged financial misconduct. As part of its “Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL)” initiative, the government has already received over 2,000 complaints regarding misappropriated state assets under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
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