The Minority in Parliament has strongly condemned what it describes as politically motivated harassment of Alhaji Abdul Hannan Wahab, the former CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) and 2024 parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Pusiga.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, June 29, 2025, the Minority accused the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) of engaging in targeted persecution, following the arrest of Mr. Wahab and his wife on June 25. The couple was apprehended in what the Minority called a “coordinated operation” in both Accra and Tamale, treating them “as though they were fugitives.”
Mr. Wahab is under investigation for alleged tax evasion, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state—allegations that remain unproven. However, the Minority is particularly outraged by the GH¢80m bail terms imposed, calling them “excessive and punitive.”
According to the statement, EOCO granted Mr. Wahab bail at GH¢50 million with two justified sureties, while his wife was granted bail at GH¢30 million, also with two sureties—one to be justified.
“We find this unacceptable,” the Minority said. “Bail is not supposed to be a punishment or a pre-conviction sentence… These conditions, by all standards, are excessive. What is the justification for bail conditions that amount to financial punishment before trial?”
Quoting Section 96 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), and referencing the landmark Kpebu No. 2 v Attorney-General ruling, the caucus emphasized that bail conditions must be reasonable and proportional to both the offence and the accused’s financial capacity.
The statement also rejected any notion that Mr. Wahab is a flight risk, describing him as “a family man, not a criminal,” who has served Ghana with “honour and diligence.”
The Minority insisted the arrests form part of a broader trend of using state institutions to intimidate former public officials.
“We believe this is not about justice, it is political persecution,” the statement read. “It is part of a broader pattern under the current NDC administration to use state institutions to intimidate perceived political opponents.”
The caucus called on EOCO’s Acting Executive Director, Mr. Raymond Archer, to “act with integrity,” warning that how the matter is handled “will define his legacy.”
They urged civil society, religious leaders, the media, and the broader public to speak out against what they called a creeping abuse of power.
“Ghana must rise above this politics of revenge and retaliation,” the Minority added. “Let us protect the integrity of our state institutions and free them from political abuse. Enough of the political harassment, persecution and intimidation!”
They are demanding an immediate review of the bail conditions imposed on Mr. Wahab and his wife, insisting that the terms be fair, lawful, and respectful of their rights.
Read full statement below:
