“My trips were approved” – Kow Essuman slams JoyNews over MIIF board blowing GH¢11m on unapproved trips

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Makay
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Kow Essuman

Counsel to former President Nana Akufo-Addo, Kow Essuman, has come out fighting, JoyNews reports, claiming the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) board in 2024 blew over GH¢11 million on foreign travels without government approval.

According to Kow Essuman, as a Board Member of MIIF, his trips were duly approved by the Chief of Staff, and he has documentary evidence to back his claims.

Kow Essuman further expressed his disappointment with JoyNews, basing their publication on claims based on what they describe as “intercepted documents”, claiming that the documents were clearly incomplete and misleading.

He further urged that Ghanaians should focus on celebrating and protecting the success achieved by MIIF, which posted a profit of GHS 1.9 billion in 2024.

In a post on a social media page on November 26, 2025, Kow Essuman wrote, “While preparing this application, I woke up to a Joy News report alleging unapproved foreign travels by Board Members of MIIF. Let me state categorically that every trip I undertook as a Board Member of MIIF was duly approved by the Chief of Staff, and I have documentary evidence to support this.

It is disappointing that a reputable media house would publish such claims based on what they describe as “intercepted documents”, documents which were clearly incomplete and misleading, given that:

1. MIIF itself has repeatedly stated publicly that it has not published the 2024 audited financial statements;

2. ⁠That is precisely why I filed my RTI requests;

3. ⁠The current MIIF CEO confirmed before Parliament and publicly justified the official travels;

4. ⁠Any documents relied upon by Joy News, without the full financial statements, cannot present a fair or professional picture”.

His post added, “Journalism must serve the public interest without distorting facts.

Nevertheless, let’s look at the bigger picture.

As a country, our energy should be directed toward celebrating and protecting the successes achieved with MIIF – an institution that posted an impressive profit of GHS 1.9 billion in 2024. A fund built from scratch is now a significant national asset.

Rather than tearing down what has been built, we should support the current management to continue strengthening the institution for the benefit of all Ghanaians”.

Kow Essuman further revealed that he has filed a formal Application for Review before the Right to Information (RTI) Commission under section 65 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) against the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF).

According to him, the application was filed as the current MIIF’s refusal, both express and deemed, to determine or respond to multiple RTI requests and internal review applications he submitted since September 2025.

Kow Essuman’s remarks follow, a 2024 audit report exposing how the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) blew over GH¢11 million on foreign travels without government approval.

It will be recalled that in 2020, the Ministry of Finance issued a directive that no public servant shall travel on official business without clearance through the Chief of Staff.

The audit service reports revealed board and key management of MIIF spent more than GH¢11 million on foreign travel in 2024 without approval from the Chief of Staff, the sector minister, or the Chief Director.

The MIIF’s Head of Human Resources, responding to the findings, stated that all travels requiring approval from the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Director were duly cleared.

Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng, the former MIIF CEO, however, claimed the Chief of Staff at the time was notified of all the trips.

Acting MIIF CEO Justina Nelson, who appeared before the Public Accounts Committee, argued that “spending was necessary to give the Fund the visibility and capacity needed to operate its new office”.

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