The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has suggested that giant billboards featuring the image of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta be erected at strategic locations across Ghana. According to Mr Koomson, this would serve as a reminder to Ghanaians of the economic difficulties associated with Mr Ofori-Atta's tenure as Finance Minister. He made these comments during an interview on Ahotor FM's Yepe Ahunu programme on September 26, 2026.
Mr Koomson argued that the proposed billboards are necessary to counter what he described as attempts by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to shift blame for the country's economic challenges onto the current administration. He stated that the NPP's behaviour necessitates reminding the electorate of the economic mess he believes Ofori-Atta caused. The billboards, Mr Koomson suggested, should be mounted at prominent locations such as the airport, ports, and border communities like Elubo.
The GFL Secretary-General emphasized that the billboards would help the public appreciate the scale of the challenges the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration inherited. He welcomed the idea of one of the billboards being erected in his hometown, arguing that it would aid public understanding of the enormity of the task being addressed by the NDC government. Mr Koomson stressed that without such reminders, NPP propaganda could influence public perception.
Mr Koomson further stated that the people must know that Ofori-Atta is the finance minister who "ran away" and "messed everything up" for the country. He maintained that the NPP should facilitate Ofori-Atta's return to Ghana to face due process before criticising the current administration. Until then, Mr Koomson argued that the NPP has no moral right to criticize the current government.
Ken Ofori-Atta, who served as Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, is currently outside Ghana. The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) says he remains subject to extradition proceedings and is facing 28 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences in one case. A separate OSP case involving Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contains 78 charges against Mr Ofori-Atta and other accused persons.
The proposed billboards have sparked debate, with some Ghanaians likely to support the idea as a means of holding former leaders accountable, while others may view it as a form of political grandstanding. The NPP has not publicly responded to Mr Koomson's comments, but it is likely that the party will react to the proposal in the coming days.
The issue has highlighted the ongoing challenges facing Ghana's economy and the efforts of the current administration to address them. It remains to be seen whether the government will consider Mr Koomson's proposal and erect the giant billboards featuring Ken Ofori-Atta's image.
Key points
- The Ghana Federation of Labour is proposing giant billboards featuring Ken Ofori-Atta to remind Ghanaians of economic challenges during his tenure.
- The proposed billboards are intended to counter NPP attempts to shift blame for the country's economic challenges onto the current administration.
- Ken Ofori-Atta faces 28 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences and 78 charges in a separate case involving Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited.
