Akufo-Addo’s former legal counsel Kow Essuman, writes to Finance Minister to demand his ex-gratia payment

Former legal advisor to the President, Kow Abaka Essuman, has formally demanded payment for his unpaid salary arrears and terminal benefits following his tenure's conclusion in January 2025. In a letter sent to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson on September 8, 2026, Essuman's lawyers detailed his extensive duties during his service under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, from January 2021 until the President's term ended in January 2025.

The lawyers argued that Essuman's appointment entitled him to terminal benefits, including four months' salary for each completed year of service, an installation grant equivalent to one month's salary, and a resettlement grant of one month's salary for each year of service. They cited Section 2(c) of the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012, which requires the Transition Team to ensure timely payment of salaries, allowances, and retiring benefits to public office holders.

The lawyers alleged that while other former public officials had received their entitlements, Essuman and other former Presidential Staffers remained unpaid, describing it as arbitrary, discriminatory, unfair, and unlawful. Essuman's lawyers stated that they had made multiple representations over the matter without success and were now demanding the Ministry of Finance pay the outstanding amount, including interest from January 7, 2025, at the prevailing commercial bank rate.

They gave the Ministry until September 11, 2026, to settle the debt or face legal action to recover the funds.