Come home and clear your name – Franklin Cudjoe to Ofori Atta

Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, has urged former Finance Minister Ken Ofori‑Atta to return to Ghana and defend his reputation against allegations of grand theft and financial recklessness.

Mr. Cudjoe made the statement on X on Sunday, emphasizing that Ofori‑Atta would not face persecution and pledging to ensure his safety during any inquiry.

He highlighted that several colleagues who served under Ofori‑Atta, and hold lesser positions, are currently navigating investigations into alleged misconduct.

“My dear friend, former Finance Minister, please come home and defend your name against accusations of grand theft & financial recklessness. No one will persecute you. I will make sure that doesn’t happen,” Cudjoe wrote.

He further appealed to Ofori‑Atta to uphold his political philosophy and personal integrity by confronting the allegations directly.

“Please honour the tradition of your political philosophy and personal integrity and come and clear your name. Amen,” he added.

Mr. Cudjoe’s call comes amid increasing public debate over accountability for the former Finance Minister who faces several high-profile investigations by state agencies including the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP).

The OSP has declared Ken Ofori‑Atta a “fugitive from justice” because he did not comply with multiple summonses to appear in person for questioning.

The investigations target several major contracts and public funds from his time as Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024.

Among them is a contract between SML and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for “revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals value chain”.

Meanwhile, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has revealed that his office was effectively powerless under the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, particularly when attempts were made to prevent former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from leaving the country after the 2024 elections.

He disclosed while speaking on The KSM Show, which was keenly followed by this portal.

He noted that institutional constraints hindered the enforcement of travel restrictions at the time.

“We didn’t watch him leave; we were powerless, that is the truth. We saw him leave, but we couldn’t prevent him from leaving the airport,” Mr. Agyebeng said.

He explained that although the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was aware of Ofori-Atta’s departure, it lacked operational backing to stop him, as relevant agencies failed to cooperate.

“Now we can rely on the Ghana Immigration Service to block someone, but at the time he left, you call up Immigration, no one will bother to respond to you,” he added.