Africa-Press – Ghana. The National Democratic Congress Majority Caucus in Parliament Friday dismissed claims that, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, a former Finance Minister, is seeking medical treatment abroad.
The Caucus said the claims was for Ofori-Atta to avoid returning to Ghana to face prosecution for alleged corruption.
According to Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader, although Mr Ofori-Atta’s ill health was evident to the public during his tenure, he remained at post and carried out his duties under the previous administration.
Speaking on the Floor of Parliament, the Majority Leader argued that it was therefore inaccurate for the New Patriotic Party Minority Caucus to assert that the former minister was now seeking medical care.
As a result, Mr Ayariga rejected suggestions that Members of Parliament (MPs) on his side were being insensitive, insisting that Mr Ofori-Atta’s health had only become a topic of debate because he was required to answer questions about his stewardship.
Mr Ayariga said, “Mr Speaker, you are giving an impression that members on this side [Majority] are insensitive to the medical condition of Ken Ofori-Atta. 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.”
“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? He was sick when he was the Finance Minister. We all saw it,” he added.
The issue was necessitated when Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Religious Affairs, reminded the House of an earlier assurance from Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader, that Mr Ofori-Atta would return to Ghana by February 18.
Commenting on the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy in the House, Mr Ibrahim demanded an update on the former minister’s whereabouts.
He said, “Mr Speaker, he [Afenyo-Markin] gave us authoritative information that by February 18, the honourable former Finance Minister was going to be in Ghana. So I’m saying, where is the former Finance Minister? Ministers of Finance who have occupied that office, after their tenure, remain in this country. Where is he?”
In response, Mr Afenyo-Markin rejected claims that he had misled Parliament, explaining that Mr Ofori-Atta had formally informed the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) of his medical condition and travel plans.
He said, “Mr Speaker, the records would bear me out. Ken Ofori-Atta had written to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, through his lawyers, that he was going to be in the country on or before May. Ken Ofori-Atta again indicated that he had been booked for surgery.”
Mr Afenyo-Markin added that doctors later recommended additional recovery time after the surgery, prompting the former minister to provide further updates.
He urged MPs to show compassion, saying, “When it comes to ill health, all of us may go through it one way or the other. 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.”
He criticised efforts to politicise the matter, stressing, “Mr Speaker, let’s be fair to Ken Ofori-Atta. It can be you tomorrow,” he said.
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