A day after being cleared of charges related to causing financial loss to the state, Dr. Johnson Asiama was appointed as Governor of the Bank of Ghana by President John Dramani Mahama—the same president whose Attorney-General cleared him of wrongdoing.
Attorney-General Dominic Ayine officially withdrew all charges against Dr. Asiama, the former Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, who had been on trial for his alleged role in the collapse of UniBank and UT Bank.
A notice of withdrawal, signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, stated:
“Please take note that at the next hearing of this suit, the Prosecutor, on the instructions of the Honourable Attorney-General, hereby withdraws all offences and/or charges against Johnson Asiama herein under Sections 59(1), (2)(b)(ii) and (5) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act (1960), Act 30.”
Dr. Asiama, along with other accused persons, had faced charges including fraudulent breach of trust, money laundering, conspiracy to commit a crime, and violations of the Bank of Ghana Act since 2020.
It remains unclear whether Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine advised President Mahama to drop the charges or if the decision was influenced by political considerations, as Dr. Asiama is a known party member.
No official reason has been provided for the case discontinuation, despite President Mahama’s repeated pledges to fight corruption.
Following this development, President Mahama, within 24 hours, nominated Dr. Asiama as the new Governor of the Bank of Ghana, pending approval by the Council of State. A statement released by the Presidency on Friday, January 31, 2025, confirmed the appointment.
According to the statement, Dr. Asiama’s nomination follows the acceptance of a formal request by current Governor Dr. Ernest Addison to proceed on terminal leave ahead of his retirement on March 31, 2025.
Dr. Asiama previously served as Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana from 2016 to 2017. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Southampton, UK, and has over 23 years of experience at the central bank, specializing in monetary policy, financial stability regulation, and economic research.
The Presidency’s statement emphasized his expertise, stating that he has “demonstrated commitment to implementing sound monetary and exchange rate policy, fostering a stable financial system, and promoting accelerated economic growth in Ghana.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Ernest Addison, who has served as Governor since April 2017, will officially begin his accumulated leave on February 3, 2025, before retiring on March 28, 2025.
The Bank of Ghana confirmed his departure in a separate statement, noting that he completed two full terms, having been reappointed in March 2021.