Opportunities Must Always Be Seized: What Opportunities Kwabena Adu-Boahene Talking About?

The Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, confirmed the arrest of Kwabena Adu-Boahene, the former Director General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), who is accused of embezzlement, fraud, and illicit financial transactions, in an investigation to look into the impact of corruption, which involved mismanagement of funds and money laundering by the opposition government, the NPP, leading to the collapse of the once vibrant economy, businesses, and investments.

Mr. Adu-Boahene, who headed the NSB from 2017 until February 2025, is charged with using fraudulent means to transfer GHS 49 million, or around $7 million, in public funds into his personal accounts and was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport after attempts to outsmart security forces awaiting his arrest. The Attorney General, Dr. Ayine, claims that Adu-Boahene executed a $7 million deal for a cyber protection system with the Israeli company ISC Holdings Limited in 2020.

Kwabena Adu-Boahene conducted covert financial transactions with his wife, transferring the proceeds into their personal bank accounts. A video of Adu-Boahene speaking to an audience during a conference or meeting went viral shortly after his detention. "Opportunities must always be seized," he stated in the video. "What I've learned in my early forties is that opportunities must always be seized; we have to take advantage of every chance, and I thank God for these opportunities.” He said. That is how political criminals, including Ken Ofori-Atta, use God’s name to deceive the people and cover up their crimes.

Similar to Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie-Sir John, Cecilia Dapaah, former Sanitation Minister, and Eugene Arhin, the former director of communications to the president at Flagstaff House, Adu-Boahene has also accumulated fortune in the shortest period of time after entering politics, which shocked Ghanaians. I found it surprising that no one asked him what opportunities he was referring to when he was telling the audience about the prospects he discovered in his forties.

What opportunities is Kwabena Adu-Boahene encouraging the listeners to take advantage of? I have no doubt that Ghanaians who watched that viral video are wondering the same thing as me. The fact that he has exploited politics to embezzle with impunity: politicians in Ghana have been stealing money and looting state properties for decades without facing any repercussions or jail time. In my opinion, he wants his listeners to follow suit without telling them the truth behind those opportunities.

Dr. Dominic Ayine, the Attorney General, has a great deal of integrity and obligation to convince Ghanaians that the NDC and the NPP are not the same, since this has been an unending argument for years. That distinction has to be made since the serious crime the NPP government committed will not go unpunished in many developing countries, let alone a developed country. How is it possible for a government to accuse another of corruption and pledge to be better and rather be involved in such serious financial crimes?

Akufo Addo compelled former Attorney General Godfred Dame to imprison the new Ghanaian leader, John Mahama, and current Finance Minister Ato Forson while the NPP was in power, but they were unable to use their accusations against them because there was insufficient evidence to support the claims. Therefore, Dr. Ayine shouldn't joke now that significant evidence of serious financial and other crimes, including missing containers to address the nation's "Dumsor" energy crisis, is currently in the hands of the new government.

Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the leader of the minority, stated that the government should "avoid politicizing ECG missing containers" after approximately forty containers were discovered among the missing containers. For what reason should he say this? Afenyo-Markin has characteristics in common with the majority of NPP politicians, notably "Abronye”; they accused the NDC government of being involved in the theft when the missing containers were announced, but now that Ghanaians are aware that the past government was behind the theft of the ECG containers, Afenyo-Markin is requesting favors.

Ghana can no longer accept corruption, financial embezzlement, and money laundering in any form with impunity. Since foreign diplomats and ambassadors are keeping an eye on the new Ghanaian government in addition to Ghanaians, Mahama must make the distinction that the NDC is not as corrupt as the NPP by ensuring that all corruptions under investigation, including Adu-Boahene's, by the Attorney General are handled with care and that those found guilty are imprisoned.