Don’t be the 1st Finance Minister to run away from accountability, return and face the OSP – Prof Asare tells Ken Ofori-Atta

A United States-based Ghanaian Professor, Stephen Kwaku Asare, has urged former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana to account for his stewardship in the court following the charges against him by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

Prof Asare noted that no Finance Minister has ever run away from accountability, hence Mr Ofori-Atta should not allow himself to be the first to do so.

Mr Ofori-Atta is currently in the United States seeking medical attention. He was put on red alert by Interpol but later, INTERPOL removed him from its Red Notice list following the announcement of formal charges by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

The Red Notice, which signals a request for international assistance in locating and provisionally arresting an individual, had been issued after Ofori-Atta failed to appear before the OSP on multiple occasions, including summonses related to corruption investigations involving the National Cathedral project and revenue assurance contracts with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).
In a post on his Facebook page, Prof Asare said that “No Finance Minister has ever run from accountability. Ken, don’t be the first. Return! Face the OSP!! Clear the air.”

The OSP will be arraining Ofori Atta and the seven others today, Monday, November 24. The OSP had announced that it would be seeking the necessary court orders to enable it to serve the accused persons in the Republic vs Ken Ofori-Atta and 7 others, who are out of the jurisdiction.

It made the announcement in a post on its X page on Thursday, November 20. “Court case update: The Republic v Kenneth Ofori-Atta & 7 Ors. Accused persons will be arraigned before the court on Monday, 24 November 2025. The Prosecution will seek the necessary court orders for service of the charge sheet on the fugitives who are outside of the jurisdiction,” it said.

On Tuesday, November 18, the OSP formally charged former Minister for Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta and 7 others with 78 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences.

Ernest Darko Akore, Emmanuel Kofi Nti, Ammishaddai Owusu Amoah, Isaac Crenstil, Kwadwo Damoah, Evans Adusei, and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).

Mr Ofori-Atta will be tried in absentia because he has not returned to Ghana from his trip to the United States.

-Ernest Akore, former Chef de Cabinet to the former Minister of Finance
-Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner-General of the GRA
-Rev Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, former Commissioner-General of the GRA
-Isaac Crentsil, former Commissioner of the Customs Division of the GRA and General Manager for -Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited
-Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioner of the Customs Division of the GRA and Member of -Parliament for Jaman South

The OSP earlier announced that it was going to prefer charges against Ken Ofori-Atta, and the other officials by the end of November 2025, following a detailed investigation into alleged corruption and related offences.
It is recalled that at a press briefing on Thursday, October 30, following a comprehensive investigation, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng said the investigation uncovered evidence of serious financial irregularities involving top officials of the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), as well as individuals connected to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).

Mr Agyebeng explained that each of the named individuals will face charges of corruption and corruption-related offences before the end of next month.

“The outcome of the investigation is that the OSP will charge the following persons with various corruption and corruption-related offences before the end of November 2025,” the OSP said.

He added that the OSP would also pursue steps to recover financial losses suffered by the state as a result of their alleged actions.“As part of the process, the OSP will seek to recover the financial loss caused to the Republic from the persons listed above,” he stated.
In addition, Mr Agyebeng disclosed that the OSP will recover GH₵125 million from Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML). This amount, he said, represents an unjust enrichment the company obtained “unfairly at the expense of the Republic.”“The OSP will recover a total amount of GH₵125 from SML by way of disgorgement of unjust enrichment of overpayment by the return of the benefit this amount obtained unfairly at the expense of the Republic,” he said.