The Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyebeng has declared Former Finance Minister, Kenneth Ofori-Atta a fugitive. A fugitive because Ken wanted to stay out of Ghana, the country he declared a sovereignty nation, indefinitely on frivolous medical grounds.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is investigating Ken for alleged crimes of causing financial loss to the state. The alleged crimes are reproduced below;
i. contractual arrangements between Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority for the stated objective of the enhancement of revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals resources value chain;
ii. termination of a Distribution, Loss Reduction and Associated Network Improvement Project contract between the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited and Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology (BXC);
iii. procurement of contractors and materials; and activities and payments in respect of the National Cathedral project; and
iv. activities and payments in respect of a contract awarded by the Ministry of Health (initially commenced by the Ministry for Special Development Initiatives) to Service Ghana Auto Group Limited for purchases and after-sales service and maintenance of 307 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 305 CDI ambulances for the National Ambulance Service; and
v. payments out of and utilization of the Tax Refund Account of Ghana Revenue Authority.
If Ken Ofori-Atta were to be transparent in his dealings there would not have been the need for imposing a voluntary exile on himself. He should have instead be on a rush to prove himself clean before all Ghanaians through the OSP.
Unfortunately, Ken decided to excuse the OSP to stay out of the country indefinitely. How can a minister who stayed in office for nearly eight years to serve his sovereign nation all of a sudden fall sick and needs indefinite period of medical attention outside Ghana? Your guess is as good as mine. Clearly, Ken looks very guilty to the alleged crimes above hence running away from accountability.
Ken is not genuine. It beggars belief that a minister who vociferously explained that Ghana is a sovereign nation and will not go to the IMF for bailout is seeking medical attention abroad. What a contradiction!
The monies wasted on the above scandals could have been used to build modern hospitals to cater for Ken’s health and the health of all of us. After all, a sovereign nation should be able to afford same quality medical care that is given anywhere in the world to her people. Therefore, no need for indefinite exile.
Ken breached our sovereignty by throwing the country out of the capital markets and implementing a harsh debt exchange programme leading to financial haircuts on government debt holders principals. Several other sins have crashed this economy to the extent that our sovereignty is lost to the outside world.
A sovereign nation has a cardinal characteristic of not just a nation that claims to be autonomous, but one that can practically demonstrate its internal and external independence and supremacy. The recent actions of Ken Ofori-Atta to seek medical care abroad proves we are prone to the outside world and therefore undermines this characteristic.
It must also be said that a sovereign nation has a common legal system that its people agree to live under. For Ken to impose self exile on himself when there is no need to do so undermines our sovereignty because he is running away from accountability and the laws of Ghana.
The actions of the OSP must be encouraged and Ken must be brought back to account for his sins wherever he is. He can seek medical treatment in Ghana while answering to his alleged crimes and so no need for exile. Do not preach sovereignty for your own convenience when you do not believe in it! Ghana remains a sovereign nation with a proud people. We must all stay inside! No exiles!
