Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has issued an unqualified apology to former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta following an invasion on his private residence by a joint police-military team led by national security operatives.
The raid, which occurred on February 11, saw armed security personnel storm Ofori-Atta’s residence without a warrant.
The former minister was not present at the time, as he was out of the country for medical treatment.
Addressing the incident in Parliament on Thursday, February 13, Ayariga disclosed that he had spoken with key government officials, including the Ministers of Interior and Defence, who assured him that such an incident, would not happen again.
“As a country and as a Parliament, we have a constitution to uphold, and that constitution has embedded in it fundamental human rights, including the right to one’s privacy and the integrity of one’s property,” Ayariga emphasized.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upholding constitutional rights under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama and reassured both Parliament and the public that the government remained committed to the rule of law.
“I extend my apologies to the former Minister of Finance, and I believe that this should suffice,” he stated.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin praised the Majority Leader’s apology and called for greater decency and respect in Ghana’s political discourse.
He applauded efforts made behind the scenes to address the incident and emphasized the importance of politicians working together to protect democracy, regardless of party affiliations.
“Indeed, all that he has done demonstrates sincerity. We are a political class; that is the path we have chosen. We are not to cover crime, but we must protect each other for the good of democracy,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
He urged lawmakers to adopt a more constructive and respectful approach to national discourse.
“Let’s do the politics in a very decent way. Let’s respect each other. Let’s use complimentary words. If someone is making a mistake, go to the person and say, ‘You could do it better.’ If someone does well, let’s celebrate them,” he advised.
The Minority Leader further assured Parliament that Ofori-Atta was willing to cooperate with authorities and would return to Ghana soon.
“As of this morning, I had an extensive engagement with him. He’s traumatized by the labeling and the adjectives used to describe him. But he still knows that his God is with him,” he revealed.
“He left the country with permission. He will come. And if there is anything that has to be investigated, he will make himself available,” Afenyo-Markin added.