A group of 3 individuals from the camp of Alan Kyerematen, leader of the Movement of Change has submitted a petition to the Office of Special Prosecutor(OSP) to investigate former Vice President of the Republic of Ghana and flagbearer aspirant of the leading opposition New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The trio namely, Solomon Owusu, Andrew Appiah-Danquah, Edwin Godwin Buckman are charging the OSP under Act 2017 (Act 959), to conduct a full and independent investigation into recent public statements made by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

“In widely circulated video recordings and credible media reports, Dr. Bawumia is heard boasting of personally purchasing over three hundred (300) pickup vehicles for the NPP and claiming that “no one in the history of the party has raised the amount of money I have raised” for political campaigns. These declarations raise serious questions as to the source of the funds, the legality of the transactions, and the possible abuse of public office.” the petition states.

According to the trio as captured in the petition, the acquisition of over 300 pickup vehicles suggests access to extraordinary financial resources that demand verification of their origin and legitimacy.

“The Source of Funds – The acquisition of over 300 pickup vehicles suggests access to extraordinary financial resources that demand verification of their origin and legitimacy. Possible Abuse of Public Office – As a former Vice President and politically exposed person (PEP), Dr. Bawumia’s ability to raise such unprecedented sums gives rise to a reasonable suspicion of abuse of influence, conflict of interest, or diversion of public resources.”

FORMAL COMPLAINT AND PETITION FOR INVESTIGATION

To:
The Special Prosecutor
Office of the Special Prosecutor
P.O. Box CT 1113 Cantonments, Accra, Ghana

From:
Solomon Owusu
Andrew Appiah-Danquah, Esq.
Edwin Godwin Buckman

Date: 15 September 2025

Subject: Request for Investigation into Alleged Corruption, Illicit Enrichment, and Breaches of Ghana’s Political Financing Laws by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia

Dear Special Prosecutor,

We respectfully submit this petition pursuant to the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), to request a full and independent investigation into recent public statements made by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Vice President of the Republic of Ghana and the 2024 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In widely circulated video recordings and credible media reports, Dr. Bawumia is heard boasting of personally purchasing over three hundred (300) pickup vehicles for the NPP and claiming that “no one in the history of the party has raised the amount of money I have raised” for political campaigns. These declarations raise serious questions as to the source of the funds, the legality of the transactions, and the possible abuse of public office.

Grounds for Reasonable Suspicion

The magnitude of these financial claims triggers legitimate public concern that:

1. The Source of Funds – The acquisition of over 300 pickup vehicles suggests access to extraordinary financial resources that demand verification of their origin and legitimacy.
2. Possible Abuse of Public Office – As a former Vice President and politically exposed person (PEP), Dr. Bawumia’s ability to raise such unprecedented sums gives rise to a reasonable suspicion of abuse of influence, conflict of interest, or diversion of public resources.

Potential Breach of Political Financing and Anti-Corruption Laws

Ghana’s legal framework imposes strict disclosure, reporting, and anti-corruption obligations on public officers and political parties. Failure to adhere to these standards constitutes offences punishable under Ghanaian law.

Legal Basis for Investigation

The following statutory provisions provide firm jurisdictional and substantive grounds for your investigation:

• Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959):
  • Section 2(c) empowers the OSP to investigate and prosecute corruption and corruption-related offences committed by public officers and politically exposed persons, including abuse of office for personal or partisan benefit.
  • Section 3 authorizes the OSP to act upon credible complaints or reasonable suspicion, both of which are present here.
• Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574):
  • Section 21 requires political parties to declare and disclose their sources of funding.
  • Section 23 prohibits foreign or anonymous donations and mandates donor declarations. The procurement of over 300 vehicles and large-scale fundraising, if undisclosed or improperly sourced, would constitute a breach of these provisions.
• Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044):
  • Sections 1, 2, and 3 criminalize the concealment, conversion, transfer, or use of property known or suspected to be the proceeds of unlawful activity.
  • The Act imposes enhanced due-diligence obligations on politically exposed persons (PEPs) to explain the legitimate source of substantial funds. Any failure by Dr. Bawumia to demonstrate the lawful origin of the monies used to purchase the over 300 vehicles would trigger offences under this Act and justify OSP intervention.
• Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29):
  • Sections 239–244 criminalize corruption, bribery of public officers, and the use of public office for unjust enrichment.
• Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921):
  • Prohibits the misuse or diversion of public funds and imposes fiduciary duties on public officers.
• Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) (as amended):
  • If state influence or non-competitive procurement was used in the acquisition of the vehicles, this would trigger violations of the Act.

Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992:

• Article 286 requires public officers to declare assets and liabilities.
• Article 284 prohibits conflicts of interest and the use of public office for private gain.

Reliefs and Actions Sought

In the interest of safeguarding Ghana’s democratic integrity, we respectfully request that your office:

1. Commence a Full Investigation into the origin of the funds used to procure the over 300 pickup vehicles and to finance related political activities.
2. Conduct a Comprehensive Audit:
   • Undertake a forensic audit to determine the exact cost of purchasing the over 300 pickup vehicles, including all related expenditures, financing arrangements, and payment channels.
   • Require Dr. Bawumia to make a full and sworn declaration of the total amount expended on the said purchase and to explain, with verifiable evidence, the lawful sources of the funds.
   • Publish the audit findings in line with the transparency mandate of the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the disclosure obligations under the Political Parties Act.
3. Audit All Fundraising Activities led or managed by Dr. Bawumia to determine compliance with the Political Parties Act and related statutes.
4. Determine Whether Public or Illicit Funds Were Used, directly or indirectly, in contravention of the Public Financial Management Act or other laws.
5. Publish Your Findings to promote transparency and public accountability.

Conclusion

The Office of the Special Prosecutor was created to protect the Republic from precisely this type of suspected high-level corruption. The statements of Dr. Bawumia, a former Vice President and leading political figure, present a compelling case for urgent action.

We trust that your office will discharge its constitutional and statutory mandate with the independence, courage, and fairness that the public expects.

Respectfully submitted,

Solomon Owusu

Andrew Appiah-Danquah, Esq.

Edwin Godwin Buckman

Fresh evidence has surfaced indicating that Niharika Handa, who allegedly acquired Ghanaian citizenship without meeting key immigration requirements, may also have engaged in identity fraud not only in Ghana but in several other countries.

This follows earlier concerns raised by investigators about how Ms. Handa and her son, Vasu Handa, obtained Ghanaian citizenship and passports after residing in the country for fewer years than the mandatory requirement, and why the birth year listed in her Ghanaian passport (September 14, 1965) differs from that in her Indian passport, which records September 14, 1961.

In response to media reports about her alleged use of false pretenses to acquire a Ghanaian passport, Ms. Handa’s lawyer, Thaddeus Sory, issued a statement claiming the discrepancy in birth years was “obviously a clerical error”. Despite this claim, it has emerged that Ms. Handa has done little, if anything, to correct the supposed error over the years. 

But then it has since emerged  that Niharika Handa acquired a GhanaCard on July 8, 2022 with the same year of birth (1965) in her passport, which her lawyers attribute to “a clerical error”. What is even more curious is that her Ghana passport was issued on July 20, 2022 – almost two weeks after the issuance of her GhanaCard, raising glaring questions about how two competent state institutions recorded the same birth year she now claims to be a clerical error, without any intention on Miss Niharika Handa’s part to deceive. 

While claiming that the birthdate in her passport is an error without taking any steps to correct the so-called error, Miss Handa has continued to use the Ghanaian passport for international travel, securing visas for the UK, Schengen countries, Dubai, and Morocco, as well as opening bank accounts and new businesses in Ghana, the UK, Austria, and elsewhere. 

At Ghana’s Registrar-General’s Department, she even updated company records to reflect the birthdate, the clerical error, in her passport. For instance, she amended the records of Gold Crest Refinery by replacing her earlier date of birth from the Indian passport (September 14, 1961) with the disputed date in her Ghanaian passport (September 14, 1965). With such widespread use of the altered birth year, investigators have raised the question as to whether this discrepancy is the simple or “obvious” clerical mistake her lawyer claims. 

This prompted investigators to probe more deeply into Niharika Handa’s background. In addition to criminal court cases in India where she faced 14 non-bailable arrest warrants, and was declared an absconder and proclaimed offender, even as she was working on her naturalisation in Ghana, new findings suggest she has been involved in broader schemes which border on identity fraud.

In India, for example, Ms. Handa’s taxpayer identification card (PAN) and her driver’s licence both record her birth year as 1964. This means she has three conflicting birth years: 1961 on her Indian passport, 1964 on her PAN and driver’s licence, and 1965 on her Ghanaian passport. Investigators are therefore left mystified and asking – which is Ms. Handa’s real date of birth? Evidence further shows she has used all three dates of birth to open bank accounts and establish businesses in different countries. 

“If a respected member of Ghana’s legal fraternity insists this is merely a clerical error, then as a country we must ask ourselves where we are heading. These discrepancies in birth dates clearly point to an attempt to deceive authorities globally and make it difficult for them to track down Niharika Handa,” an intelligence source said. “Far from a clerical error, this is a calculated deception for the purpose of hiding her criminal background, which is something the immigration authorities should have investigated before granting her citizenship in a short time.”

Also alarming is the fact that Niharika Handa’s son, Punar Vasu Handa, appears involved in similar identity fraud. His Ghanaian passport lists his date of birth as December 7, 1985, while his Indian PAN card records it as February 7, 1985. Before traveling from India to Dubai in 2015, he reportedly obtained a new passport declaring his date of birth as December 7, 1985, while claiming his old passport had been lost. Investigators are working with the assumption that the original passport reflected the date on his PAN card, and that he had the date of birth changed in the new passport with the intention to evade Indian immigration checks.

“This points to an identity fraud of international magnitude perpetrated by this woman and her son,” the intelligence source said. “Identity fraud is often the foundation of financial fraud. Normally, individuals do not alter their personal details; it is only when there is intent to deceive or to defraud that such manipulation is undertaken to bypass system checks.” 

He continued: “To prevent such dubious foreigners from exploiting Ghana’s systems, immigration authorities must insist on police clearance reports from applicants’ home countries before issuing residence permits. For the granting of Ghanaian citizenship, far more thorough background checks by immigration authorities are essential. Fraudsters gaining Ghanaian citizenship directly undermines the reputation of Ghana’s passport and the relaxed visa regimes it currently enjoys with certain countries. At the same time, Ghana must confront the growing nexus between criminals and those tasked with upholding or defending the law.”

Some students of the Tamale Technical University on Tuesday, September 16, held a protest against what they claim is management neglect and misappropriation of the school’s funds and baseless fee increment.

Reports suggest the student, in their protest, blocked all entry points of the school and also burnt lorry tyres at the administration.

The student later clashed with the police, and scores of students sustained various degrees of injuries after the students clashed with police during a protest against the management of the school.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC), Musa Mahamudu, the demonstration was to demand better welfare for students and the development of the university.

Musa Mahamudu stated, “Our main aim for this demonstration is the issue we have at hand with management. Which has to do with the compressing issues that affect students in this university.

“Let’s talk about hostels, lecture halls, campus comfortability etc. Over the years, we have been paying school fees, and there are levies for development supposed to development this university,” he stated.

They further petitioned the Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu to address their grievances.

“We are compelled to bring to your urgent attention issues of systematic neglect of students’ welfare, alleged misapplication of funds and the proposed increment of fees without justification.

“These actions in our view contravene the principle of equity of accountability and quality education enshrined in the 1992 constitution of Ghana,” portions of the petition read.

They added that the school’s infrastructure is in a deplorable state despite paying levies and fees, and called on management to ensure judicious use of the monies paid.

Meanwhile, Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has revealed plans for the government to release GH₵1 billion from the GETFund in 2026 to address critical infrastructure challenges facing schools across the country.

Haruna Iddrisu announced the investment is aimed at tackling long-standing infrastructure deficits and ultimately phasing out the double-track system.

Speaking during a working visit to the Upper East Region, Haruna Iddrisu stated, “This funding will help us deal decisively with infrastructure deficits and ultimately tackle the double-track system”.

He further visited Zebilla Senior High Technical School to interact with WASSCE candidates and assess the impact of the Bawku conflict.

Haruna Iddrisu added, “We need to say no to war, no to conflict. Education remains our surest bet to fight ignorance and poverty, so grab the opportunity and give it your best,” he said.

“I refused to put it on because a bulletproof jacket does not belong in an academic environment. It does not create the conducive atmosphere needed for learning to thrive.”

He further appealed for calm in Bawku, emphasising that peace is necessary to create the right environment for teaching and learning.

 “Lasting peace must be restored in Bawku so that the city can be rebuilt and a serene environment for education restored,” he added.

The Education Minister further lament that the challenges faced by students in conflict areas will not be considered when being graded.

“It is unfortunate that examiners will not consider the fact that students here did not have the serenity and peace of mind to learn, yet they will be graded equally with their counterparts in peaceful areas,” he added.

In related education news, Haruna Iddrisu has announced an 11-member committee to guide the reversal from double-track to single-track in SHSs and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTSs).

Prof. Godwin Awabil, University of Cape Coast (UCC), is the chair of the committee tasked with reviewing the 2024/2025 academic calendar and proposing a roadmap for a single-track.

Haruna Iddrisu, has said the former government’s double-track system in Senior High Schools (SHSs) negatively affected the quality of education.

The Education Minister noted that the double-track system reduced contact hours and study time for students in the Senior High School.

Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, August  24, 2025, Haruna Iddrisu stated, “The double-track system has impacted negatively on the quality and outcomes of education under the Free SHS policy. Students have fewer contact hours and less study time, which affects their performance.

“Government’s commitment to ending the system can only be realised at three levels: expanding infrastructure, strengthening digital resources in schools, and allowing private SHSs to absorb qualified students to ease the pressure,” he said at a media briefing.

Haruna Iddrisu, some months ago, revealed that the John Mahama government is taking all the necessary steps to ensure that the Double-Track system at the Senior High School level is phased out by 2027.

The sector minister revealed they are working on a revised curriculum If the government is to succeed in ending the double-track system.

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Former Vice President and flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has rendered an unqualified apology to Ghanaians for the way they led and governed the country.

The former vice president was speaking to some party faithful in the Ashanti Region as part of his regional tour of uniting and re-energizing the base of the party.

Dr Bawumia, who did not exempt himself from the mistakes of the previous government, pleaded for forgiveness on behalf of all those who were part of the erstwhile Akufo-Addo-led government.

“After the 2024 elections, we have done our research. We know the NPP government and the party made a lot of mistakes in governance. There were things we needed to do which we didn’t, and others we did that, if we had had the benefit of background, we would not have done them,” he said.

He stressed that the blame was not his alone but a collective responsibility of the party’s leadership. “We are all to be blamed – Vice President, Ministers, MPs, Board Chairmen, appointees. We have all made mistakes and please forgive us. We’re sorry. We have learned our lessons,” he added.

Dr. Bawumia assured delegates that, if given the mandate as flagbearer and subsequently elected President, he would ensure that the past would not be repeated.

“If, by the grace of God, you make me the flagbearer and I become the President, these will not happen again. They will not happen again,” he pledged.

The previous Akufo-Addo government, of which Dr Bawumia was Vice President, saw the country descend to an extreme economic crisis, driving many Ghanaians into economic hardship.

Inflation went as high as 50% while the major foreign trading currency, the US dollar, reached as high as GHS 17 against the Ghanaian Cedi. Being a net importer of almost everything, prices were benchmarked against the soaring dollar, bringing untold hardship to many Ghanaians. The government at the time ran to the IMF for liquid support to alleviate the hardship after the economy was junk-rated by many global rating agencies, with many investors pulling out. The government had to restructure both domestic and external debts under the infamous Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP) in order to secure a deal from the IMF.

Additionally, illegal mining had reached its crescendo, and popular galamsey activities were fast decimating major water bodies, threatening the livelihood of all Ghanaians.

Away from that, there was also a power crisis. In the midst of these, many politicians, according to Ghanaians, were nonchalant and displayed extreme arrogance of power. This, per research, drove a lot of Ghanaians to vote against the government, which Dr Bawumia led.