OSP should follow due process, not create drama – Nana B
OSP should follow due process, not create drama – Nana B
OSP should follow due process, not create drama – Nana B
The national organizer of the New Patriotic Party, Henry Nana Boakye, has condemned the recent actions of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as both “unreasonable” and “inhumane.”
Addressing the press at NPP Headquarters in Accra on Thursday 13 February 2025, Nana B, as he is affectionately known, described as a series of due process violations, including the erroneous labeling of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as a fugitive, the abuse of nolle prosequi, and the unconstitutional revocation of public service appointments made under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration.
Nana B detailed a timeline that begins in early January 2025. According to the statement, on January 2, 2025, Ken Ofori-Atta informed then-Chief of Staff Frema Osei-Opare of his travel to the United States for a medical follow-up, providing his contact details. He reiterated his situation on January 22, 2025, in a letter to the new Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, stressing his willingness to cooperate with any state inquiry despite being abroad for essential medical treatment.
On January 24, 2025, the OSP issued a letter to Ofori-Atta’s residence, summoning him to appear on February 10, 2025, to discuss “suspected corruption and corruption-related offenses.” Ofori-Atta’s legal team promptly responded on January 31, 2025, clarifying that their client was undergoing critical medical observations and would inform the OSP of his return date once his treatment was completed. Despite this explanation and subsequent confirmation from the Mayo Clinic—detailing his appointment and potential surgical intervention in March—the OSP’s response on February 5, 2025, demanded an immediate return date, warning that failure to comply would force the OSP to take “all necessary legal steps.”
Matters escalated on February 11, 2025, when video footage revealed a dramatic raid on Ofori-Atta’s residence. The raid, led by Richard Jakpa, previously associated with a high-profile trial, saw a contingent of armed police, military personnel, and unidentified plainclothes operatives storming the home. The action, according to Nana B, was a blatant disregard for both Ofori-Atta’s health and due process.
Beyond the OSP’s aggressive pursuit of Ken Ofori-Atta, the NPP national organizer leveled further criticism at a government directive aimed at nullifying public service appointments made after December 7, 2024. According to Nana B, this directive is “poorly conceived, illegal, and profoundly damaging” to Ghanaians who secured their positions through a rigorous and legally binding process.
“Nobody is a public servant by mere appointment from a political party. These are legitimate jobs earned through multiple layers of approval—from technical clearance by the Public Services Commission to financial clearance by the Ministry of Finance. To retroactively cancel these appointments is not only an affront to administrative justice but a direct threat to the livelihoods of thousands of Ghanaians.”
He warned that the revocation of these appointments could lead to mass unemployment, adversely affecting families, discouraging young professionals from public service, and potentially exposing the government to lawsuits for unlawful termination of contracts.
