Ofori-Atta got irritated over Anas' ‘money gift' in Dubai - Report

Ken Ofori-Atta, the embattled Minister of Finance, was reportedly irritated by an attempt by some supposed investors - who in real life were persons within the camp of undercover investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas - to give him money as a gift.

According to a report sighted by GhanaWeb, the Tiger Eye P.I. investigators, posed as investors who wanted to invest in Ghana, therefore, needing to meet the Finance Minister to discuss opportunities and other modalities of setting up in Ghana.

According to the report, the investigators had earlier met with Charles Adu Boahen, Ofori-Atta's deputy back in 2018, in a hotel suite in United Araba Emirates, UAE, where the now dismissed Adu Boahen was given monies in lieu of helping the investors get access to among other Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia who allegedly took a US$200,000 'appearance fee' to meet investors.

After meeting with them, they then proceeded to meet with Ofori-Atta briefly at the Dubai airport whiles he was on transit to Tokyo on an official assignment.

The report established that neither the minister nor his PA accepted the money gift from the Tiger Eye P.I. team leaving the minister irritated.

"After the meeting with Charles Adu Boahen, Tiger Eye P.I., was not satisfied and wanted to trap the bigger fish, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

"They were to have their chance, they thought when after several attempts Mr. Ofori-Atta agreed to meet them at the airport in Dubai on transit to Tokyo, Japan," Asaase radio reportage stated.

"In the company of his then Personal Assistant (PA), Michael Bediako, Mr. Ofori-Atta met the supposed investors (investigators) at the Dubai terminal hotel (Dubai International Airport) on 5 April 2018 at around 6:30 am.

"Mr. Ofori-Atta was informed the meeting was with the Chairman of Al Baraka Islamic Bank of Bahrain, whose interest was to invest $500m to set up an “ethical” bank in Ghana.

"The meeting, per our checks, lasted some five minutes. Ken Ofori-Atta left very irritated when he was offered a “gift”, which he refused to accept, and walked out with his PA who was also offered a gift that was rejected as well," the report added.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas' latest 'Galamsey Economy' exposed Charles Adu Boahen, the dismissed Minister of State at the Finance Ministry over an alleged corruption scandal.

Anas in a post on his Facebook timeline hours before the showing of the 'Galamsey Economy' film noted that the minister made some shocking revelations to his team in a hotel in UAE, when they posed as possible investors to Ghana.

Adu Boahen among other things alleged that Bawumia will require about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.

“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff?" the investigators asked, to which Adu Boahen responded: "I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020."

But Dr. Bawumia in a statement on Monday, November 14, denied the accusations and called for an investigation into the allegations.

Watch some GhanaWeb TV programmes below.

PEN/SARA