By Savannah Pokuaah Duah
Former Member of Parliament for Mion, Mohammed Aziz, has ignited a fiery debate regarding the ongoing investigations into former Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta, asserting that no one, including Ofori Atta, is above the law.
Speaking on TV3’s New Day program on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Aziz raised pointed questions about the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) actions and the political will to prosecute offenses allegedly committed during Ofori Atta’s tenure.
The former MP did not mince words, stating, “Ken Ofori Atta is not above the law. We will subject him to the laws of this country. And if he’s found guilty, he will be jailed.”
He also voiced skepticism regarding the OSP’s actions, suggesting that the same level of scrutiny might not have been applied had the New Patriotic Party (NPP) remained in power. “Roland, are you convinced that if the NPP were still in power today, the OSP would have done this to Ken Ofori Atta? Would he have gotten the courage to do this to Ken Ofori Atta?” He asked rhetorically, adding, “Not everything can be said publicly, but I think that, look, for us to prosecute effectively the offenses that were committed under the tenure of Ken Ofori Atta, we should be seeing the Office of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice today.”
He drew parallels to past cases under previous administrations, highlighting instances where members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), including former ministers, were prosecuted and even jailed. “Under President Akufo-Addo, they arrested people in churches. We had people who were former ministers of the NDC who were very sick and were jailed,” he emphasized, arguing for equal application of the law. He referenced specific cases, saying, “I still remember with pain how Victor Selorme, Kwame Peprah, and many more, as I was in the NDC, for very flimsy reasons, willfully causing financial loss to the state when indeed there was no established act of corruption against them. And yet they were jailed.”
He also addressed concerns surrounding Ofori Atta’s reported ill health and his perceived reluctance to cooperate with investigations.
He cited recent reports of Ofori-Atta being fit enough to engage in detailed discussions with the minority leader in Parliament. “So the man is so fit, so well, to the extent that he could have some elaborate discussions with the minority leader and yet cannot come into this country to help investigations,” He questioned.
Concluding his remarks, He expressed strong conviction in the potential findings of a thorough investigation. “I’m more than convinced that Ken Ofori Atta cannot have a claim if he’s subjected to proper investigations,” he asserted.
