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OSP to charge former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta and others over SML deal
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has completed its investigation into the controversial contract between Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and will soon begin legal action against several key figures, including former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
At a press briefing in Accra today, Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng announced that Mr. Ofori-Atta and six others will be charged with various corruption and corruption-related offenses before the end of November 2025.
The individuals to be charged include Ken Ofori-Atta, former Minister for Finance; Ernest Akore, chef de cabinet
to the former Finance Minister; Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner-General of GRA; Amishadai Owusu-Amoah, former Commissioner-General of GRA; Isaac Crentsil, former Commissioner of the Customs Division of GRA; Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioner of Customs and current Member of Parliament for Jaman South; and the General Manager of SML Ghana Limited.
According to Mr. Agyebeng, the investigation found that the government’s agreement with SML was “unnecessarily deceptive” and caused significant financial loss to the state.
The OSP described parts of the deal as misleading, particularly the conversion of SML’s payment from U.S. dollars to Ghana cedis, which the OSP said disguised the true cost.
He revealed that the fixed monthly fee agreed upon in the November 2024 addendum amounted to the cedi equivalent of $1.43 million (₵16.29 million) per month, inclusive of all taxes, at the Bank of Ghana’s exchange rate at the time.
The OSP said the GRA has not made any payments to SML since December 2024 due to the ongoing investigation.
Mr. Agyebeng further stated that the OSP will seek to recover funds lost to the state as a result of the deal.
In addition, SML will be made to refund ₵125 million, described as “unjust enrichment” money the company received unfairly from the state.
Explaining the decision, the Special Prosecutor said the refund amount was calculated based on the principle of quantum meruit, a legal concept that ensures a person receives fair compensation for benefits conferred, even if the underlying contract is invalid.
He explained that although some of SML’s contracts were unlawfully awarded and services were only partly performed, the company had invested in infrastructure such as setting up and maintaining offices.
The OSP therefore adjusted the refund to reflect the fair value of work done.
The Special Prosecutor also said his office has initiated processes to recover the full financial loss caused to the state from the individuals involved.
Mr. Agyebeng emphasised that the OSP remains committed to holding all public officials and private actors accountable for corruption and abuse of office.
The SML deal, signed under the Ministry of Finance and GRA, was intended to enhance revenue assurance in the petroleum downstream sector but has faced public backlash following allegations of inflated payments and poor performance.
By: Jacob Aggrey
A former Sec ond Lady, Mrs Matilda Amis sah-Arthur, has called for urgent action to bridge literacy gaps among young girls in the country to advance gender equality.
She stressed that improving lit eracy among girls was essential not only for women’s empowerment but also for national development.
“Addressing the literacy gap is not a woman’s issue. It is a nation al necessity and, with the passing of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Act, 2024, Ghana is signalling that women belong in leadership, but leadership begins with a book,” she said.
Mrs Amissah-Arthur made the call at an event organised by the Ghana Library Authority (GLA) in Accra yesterday to mark Interna tional Women’s Day (IWD) on the theme: “Her Voice in Libraries: Women Transforming Literacy in Ghana.”
According to her, many girls in Ghana still drop out of school due to poverty, lack of mentorship and limited support systems, warning that without deliberate interven tions some risk becoming part of worrying national statistics.
The former Second Lady encouraged students, particularly girls, to see education not only as a tool for personal advancement but also as a means of empowering future generations.
“Don’t shy away from STEM and ICT subjects. Break into the male-dominated areas and bridge the digital divide,” she added.
Mrs Amissah-Arthur also called for stronger partnerships between men and women in advancing gen der equality, stressing that the issue should be viewed as a national development priority rather than solely a women’s concern.
“Gender equality is not a woman’s issue. It is a development issue. It requires partnership, respect and shared responsibility,” she said.
She further expressed opti mism that with the right support systems, every child, regardless of gender, could achieve their full potential.
In a remark, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Lydia Essuah, said that despite progress made in promoting gender equality in the education sector, challenges remained in ensuring progression, completion and quality learning outcomes for all learners.
She highlighted the important role of libraries in advancing liter acy and lifelong learning skills, and called for increased investment in library infrastructure and services to help build a knowledge-driven society.
The Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority, Alhassan Ziblim Bentintiche, also under scored the importance of libraries in empowering young people, par ticularly girls, with access to books, digital resources and mentorship opportunities.
He disclosed plans to expand Ghana’s library infrastructure and services to particularly attract the youth and promote literacy.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
Management of the Metro Mass Transit Limited has accused the government of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of pursuing what it describes as a “create, loot and share” agenda in the sale of portions of the Opera Square Bus Terminal to a private developer.
The Deputy Managing Director of the company, Haroun Apaw-Wiredu, raised the concerns while speaking to journalists at the Opera Square Bus Terminal in Accra on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
He indicated that the management of Metro Mass Transit would not tolerate any further unauthorized development at the terminal and would take steps to protect the property.
According to him, it would be wrong for a private developer to take control of state property for personal economic gain while the company and the public remain silent.
“How can we sit down and allow a private developer, just for his selfish economic gains, to capture state property for himself? No, we cannot sit down,” he stressed.
Mr Apaw Wiredu called on the public to resist what he described as attempts to take over state assets, adding that such actions would disadvantage ordinary citizens.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we must all stand up. We must all wake up. We must fight this level of brazen looting and attempts to milk the system at the expense of ordinary Ghanaians,” he indicated.
He explained that some individuals had been operating around the terminal for many years and alleged that the developer gained access to the land during the previous administration.
Mr Apaw Wiredu stressed that under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, the company would pursue all legitimate means to protect the terminal from what he described as unlawful takeover.
He added that management would use every legal avenue available to defend the property and prevent any attempt to take control of the land without proper authorization.
By: Jacob Aggrey
