‘WHERE IS KEN OFORI-ATTA?’ — Majority Pressures Afenyo-Markin for Answers on Former Minister’s Absence
A heated parliamentary debate erupted as the Majority demanded accountability for the former Finance Minister's delayed return, while the Minority leader cited serious medical reasons and pleaded for fairness.
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, faced intense scrutiny from the Majority side on Friday, compelled to explain the continued absence of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who is sought for investigations into major government contracts.
The confrontation was triggered when the Minister for Local Government, Ahmed Ibrahim, reminded the House of Afenyo-Markin’s previous assurance that Ofori-Atta would return to Ghana by February 18. “He gave us authoritative information… So I’m saying, where is the former Finance Minister?” Ibrahim demanded, noting that former finance ministers typically remain in the country after their tenure.
In his response, Afenyo-Markin insisted he had not misled Parliament. He stated that Ken Ofori-Atta had formally communicated with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), outlining a medical journey that required a delayed return.
“The records would bear me out… Ken Ofori-Atta had written to the OSP, through his lawyers, that he was going to be in the country on or before May… [He] again indicated that he had been booked for surgery,” Afenyo-Markin explained. He added that doctors later advised an extended healing period, necessitating further communication with the OSP.
Appealing for empathy, the Minority Leader questioned the politicization of the matter. “When it comes to ill health… all of us may go through it one way or the other,” he stated. “If a man is going through a serious medical condition, how many of us would be bold enough to disclose our medical records? But the man has disclosed his medical record.”
However, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga sharply rejected the insinuation of insensitivity. He countered that Ofori-Atta’s health was well-known during his tenure, but his inability to return has only become an issue now that he is required to answer to investigators.
“Ken Ofori-Atta was very sick in this country. You could see the sickness in his face. But at that time, it was sweet to be a Finance Minister,” Ayariga remarked pointedly. “How come that suddenly, because today he is being sought after by the law enforcement agencies, he cannot live in this country and is claiming illness?”
The former Finance Minister was invited by the OSP earlier this year to provide evidence regarding the controversial GRA–SML revenue assurance contract and the National Cathedral project, making his prolonged absence a central point of political contention.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
