By Belinda Nketia
The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has issued a formal apology to former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, following a raid on his private residence earlier this week. “I personally extend my apologies to the former Minister of Finance, and I believe that this should suffice,” he said on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, February 13, 2025.
The incident, which took place at Cantonments, involved individuals in both military and police uniforms, as well as plainclothes personnel while the former minister was out of the country receiving medical treatment in the United States.
In his address on the floor of parliament, the Bawku Central member of parliament stressed the importance of upholding constitutional rights.
“As a country and as a Parliament, we have a constitution to uphold, which enshrines fundamental human rights—the right to privacy, the right to the integrity of one’s property.”
He assured the House that an investigation into the incident had already begun, following discussions with key stakeholders to establish the facts.
“It is true that the private residence of the former Minister of Finance was entered by operatives from the military and the police, led by an individual we believe works at the National Security Coordinator’s office, Mr. Jakpa,” Hon. Ayariga confirmed.
He further revealed that he had received assurances from the Office of the National Security Coordinator, which conveyed that the raid was an unfortunate and regrettable event, not intended to occur. The office also promised that such an incident would not happen again.
Addressing the concerns raised by the minority caucus on the raid, Hon. Ayariga reaffirmed the majority’s commitment to ensuring the country’s institutions function properly, with public officials acting in accordance with the law. He emphasised that the rights and liberties of all citizens would be upheld and protected under the leadership of President John Mahama.
