Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Chairman of Asaase Broadcasting Company and a prominent voice within the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed strong disapproval over the public and political treatment of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (16 June), Otchere-Darko said he was “disgusted” by what he sees as a campaign to tarnish the reputation of Ofori-Atta, whom he described as a selfless public servant whose contributions to Ghana’s economic foundations are being unjustly overlooked.
“I have been disgusted about how Ken Ofori-Atta has been treated,” Gabby said. “The Ken Ofori-Atta that I know came to politics not for personal gain. He came because he believed he could serve.”
Ofori-Atta, who was recently flown abroad for medical care, has faced criticism from sections of the public and political actors over his role in Ghana’s economic challenges and the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP). But Otchere-Darko maintains that much of this criticism is unfair and misdirected.
“If now he tells you that ‘look, my heart is clean… I did not take a penny… I have this health issue I need to deal with,’ and your first instinct is to call him a fugitive—then something is wrong,” he said, visibly upset. “It’s an evil decision for anybody with a conscience to take.”
He also recounted Ofori-Atta’s pivotal role in implementing President Akufo-Addo’s ambitious initiatives during his first term in office, from Free SHS to 1D1F, as well as stabilizing the economy before COVID-19 struck.
“Yes, from 2021 things got difficult. But don’t forget, he had to fund free education, industrialisation, food programmes, a banking sector cleanup, and still keep public sector salaries running. He worked hard to mobilise resources. And then came COVID.”
Otchere-Darko said the public discourse around Ofori-Atta’s legacy must include a balanced acknowledgement of his contributions as well as the complex factors—such as the loss of parliamentary majority in 2020—that limited government manoeuvrability post-election.
“The man nearly lost his life to COVID in 2020. I was with him when he was flown out to the Mayo Clinic. They couldn’t believe how he survived. And yet he came back to continue serving,” Gabby revealed.
He concluded by calling for a more humane approach to political accountability, insisting that criticism must not be allowed to destroy personal reputations built on integrity.
“If we cannot appreciate public servants who’ve made sacrifices, at least let us not disgrace them when they fall ill,” he said.
