Lawyers for former Legal Counsel to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Kow Abaka Essuman, have given the Ministry of Finance until Friday, September 11, 2026, to settle his outstanding salary arrears and terminal benefits or face legal action.
In a letter dated September 8 and addressed to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the lawyers said their client has been awaiting payment of benefits that became due after his tenure ended on January 7, 2025.
Mr Essuman was appointed Legal Counsel to then-President Akufo-Addo in January 2021 and, in October 2024, was additionally appointed Acting Secretary to the President while continuing in his role as Legal Counsel.
According to his lawyers, the terms of his appointment entitled him to several terminal benefits, including “four (4) months’ consolidated salary for every completed year of service or part thereof,” as well as an installation grant equivalent to one month’s salary and a resettlement grant equivalent to one month’s salary for each year or fraction of a year served.
They contend that these entitlements, together with any unpaid salary arrears, became due immediately upon the conclusion of his service.
The lawyers also invoked Section 2(c) of the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), which mandates the Transition Team to ensure that salaries, allowances and retiring benefits owed to specified public office holders are paid “without undue delay.”
They alleged that several former public officials, including the Speaker and Members of Parliament, former Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and members of the Council of State, have already received their applicable arrears and terminal benefits.
However, they said Mr Essuman and other former Presidential Staffers have yet to receive theirs.
“Where persons who served in comparable public offices during the same period have received their applicable benefits, the continued withholding of our client’s entitlement is arbitrary, discriminatory, unfair and unlawful,” the lawyers stated.
The legal team said Mr Essuman had made repeated representations to the relevant authorities in an effort to resolve the matter but had received no satisfactory outcome.
They are therefore demanding payment of the outstanding principal, together with interest accruing from January 7, 2025, calculated at the prevailing commercial bank rate.
The lawyers have warned that if the Ministry fails to make full payment by September 11, their client will commence legal proceedings against the State to recover the outstanding sums, accrued interest and associated legal costs.
Despite the ultimatum, the lawyers said Mr Essuman remains open to resolving the matter without resorting to litigation.
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