Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is under fire from the opposition after he appeared unwilling to explain his time in office.
NDC lawyer Kojogah Adawudu warned that avoiding accountability could leave a lasting stain on Ofori-Atta’s family name.
Speaking on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV on Monday, Adawudu asked why a former finance minister, who once managed the nation’s money, would avoid answering questions from the public.
“Why are you running away?” Adawudu asked. “For somebody who once occupied the finance position and understands stewardship, why can’t you come and account to the good people of Ghana?”
He also painted a grim picture of the legacy Ofori-Atta could leave behind.
“Is this what you want to leave for your children?” he asked. “That your father refused to account, that your father was uncovered, that your father stole the people’s money? Is that the inheritance you want to leave for your family?”
Adawudu further compared Ofori-Atta’s actions to the story of his great uncle, J.B. Dankwa, who died in detention during Ghana’s first republic under President Kwame Nkrumah.
“There is already a blot on the family narrative,” Adawudu said. “With all the stories around J.B. Dankwa and what happened between him and Nkrumah, including his unfortunate death in detention, is that the same story you want to repeat and pass down through generations?”
He also criticised Ofori-Atta’s approach to law enforcement, saying cooperating with investigations is not humiliating.
“If you are invited by the police and you go willingly, they won’t put handcuffs on you,” Adawudu said. “I was surprised when the Office of the Special Prosecutor once described him as a fugitive, but his own conduct today tells you that he is running.”
Adawudu added that Ofori-Atta’s Christian faith should encourage him to face scrutiny instead of avoiding it.
“As Christians, we know this world is not our home,” he said. “At the end of the day, we all give an account of our stewardship. So why are you refusing to account now?”
The comments come after reports that Ofori-Atta was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over visa-related issues.
