Lawyers for former Legal Counsel to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Kow Abaka Essuman, have formally demanded the payment of his outstanding salary arrears and terminal benefits following the end of his tenure in January 2025.
In a letter dated September 8, 2026, and addressed to the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the lawyers said Mr Essuman was appointed Legal Counsel to then-President Akufo-Addo in January 2021.
He was subsequently appointed Acting Secretary to the President in October 2024 while retaining his responsibilities as Legal Counsel. He served in both capacities until January 7, 2025, when the tenure of the former president ended.
According to the lawyers, the terms of Mr Essuman’s appointment entitled him to several terminal benefits, including four months’ consolidated salary for every completed year of service or part thereof.
He was also entitled to an installation grant equivalent to one month’s salary and a resettlement grant equivalent to one month’s salary for each year, or fraction thereof, served, the lawyers said.
They argued that the benefits, together with outstanding salary arrears, became due and payable at the end of Mr Essuman’s tenure.
The lawyers further relied on Section 2(c) of the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), which requires the Presidential Transition Team to ensure that salaries, allowances and retiring benefits due to specified public office holders are paid “without undue delay.”
The legal team alleged that while 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 had received their respective arrears and terminal benefits, Mr Essuman and other former presidential staffers remained unpaid.
“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.
They said Mr Essuman had made several representations to the relevant authorities over the outstanding payments but had not received a satisfactory resolution.
The lawyers are therefore demanding that the Ministry of Finance pay the outstanding principal amount together with interest accruing from January 7, 2025, at the prevailing commercial bank rate.
The Ministry has been given until Friday, September 11, 2026, to settle the outstanding amount and interest in full.
The lawyers warned that failure to meet the deadline would compel Mr Essuman to commence legal proceedings against the state to recover the outstanding benefits, interest and associated costs.
They added, however, that their client remained willing to resolve the matter amicably without resorting to litigation.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
