Hot Source….Airport Hills, Labone, Tamale, Pusiga properties surface
Barring any last-minute changes, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Abdul Wahab Hannan, and his wife are expected to be formally charged and arraigned before the court this week over alleged corruption and unexplained wealth.
Although, details of the impending charges remain sketchy, highly placed sources have confirmed to The Herald that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has concluded months of investigations into what insiders describe as “massive rot” during Hannan’s tenure at NAFCO.
Investigators have reportedly traced several high-value properties in Accra, Tamale, and other locations to the former CEO, raising serious questions about the source of his wealth.
Mr Hannan and his family were detained for two weeks earlier this year before being granted bail. He was released after meeting bail conditions set at GH¢50 million with two sureties, while his wife had previously secured bail of GH¢30 million.
During the Akufo-Addo administration, Hannan’s sudden affluence drew public attention, fuelling perceptions of widespread plundering among appointees of the then government. His rapid accumulation of assets, including multiple properties and businesses, has since become a focal point of EOCO’s probe.
Party insiders within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Northern Region told The Herald that even some of Hannan’s colleagues had expressed unease over his extravagant spending.
He vehemently denied owning the properties when The Herald finally confronted him with the allegations and the properties attributed to him. This was after months of playing hide and seek, forcing the newspaper to tease him out.
“The speed at which he acquired properties was simply unbelievable. Many of us suspected he was siphoning money from Buffer Stock,” one party executive remarked.
The suspicions were further compounded by the persistent picketing of unpaid suppliers at NAFCO’s premises, who have for years demanded arrears owed for food supplies under the Free Senior High School programme.
Among the assets attributed to Hannan is a filling station under construction along the Tamale–Bolgatanga highway, near Gariba Lodge, which became a central talking point in the area.
There was also a property at Labone that was built on state land, which was linked to him. Another property at Airport Hills, east of Kotoka International Airport (KIA), was also connected to him.
He was also reported to be developing a restaurant complex under the name “Chicken Republic” on Dagomba Lane, near the SSNIT regional office in Tamale.
Residents familiar with his background insist that before his appointment in 2017, he owned only a modest property in the Tamale suburb of Tonayili. His ventures, they say, were inconsistent with his financial capacity.
“Those of us who knew him before he became CEO are shocked at his new level of wealth. Everyone is asking the same question. Where did he get the money?” a resident in Tamale told The Herald, sometimes in 2023.
In his hometown of Windana, in the Pusiga District of the Upper East Region, community members had also voiced similar doubts over what they describe as Hannan’s “overnight riches.”
At the time, Mr Hannan was nurturing political ambitions to contest the Pusiga parliamentary seat, commissioning small-scale water and bridge projects aimed at boosting his popularity among delegates.
Observers had questioned whether these initiatives were financed through state resources. Questions were also raised about whether Hannan properly declared his assets as required under Ghana’s Asset Declaration laws for public officers.
The 1992 Constitution and the law establishing the Office of the Special Prosecutor both mandate public officers to declare their assets and sources of income before assuming office. Failure to comply constitutes a breach that may attract further legal consequences. With EOCO’s investigations reportedly complete and the case files submitted to the Attorney General’s Department, the former CEO and his wife are expected to face criminal charges imminently.
Mr Hannan and his wife were arrested on June 25 this year amid allegations of financial impropriety, including tax evasion, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state. Though EOCO secured a High Court judgment for bail, Mr Hannan remained detained until this week, reportedly due to delays in processing sureties.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Minority in Parliament had been very critical of the bail terms. Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei described them as “punitive and excessive,” warning they risk undermining the dignity of the accused.
Earlier, the supporters gathered outside EOCO’s offices in protest, urging the agency to either formally charge Mr Hannan or release him immediately. When he was released, Mr Hannan was met by family members outside the EOCO complex.
The Minority demanded an immediate review of what it describes as “unfair and punitive” bail conditions imposed by EOCO on Abdul Hannan Wahab and his wife.
Addressing journalists in Parliament on Tuesday, 1 July, Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei described EOCO’s handling of the matter as excessive, arguing that the bail terms seem to be designed to unreasonably keep Mr Wahab in custody.
According to the Minority, EOCO arrested Mr Wahab and his wife during a coordinated operation in Accra and Tamale on Wednesday, June 25. The couple were being investigated for alleged tax evasion, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state, allegations that the Minority stressed remain unproven.
“Following this questionable mode of arrest, what is even more troubling are the bail conditions subsequently imposed,” Madam Appiagyei said, adding, “We find this unacceptable,” the Deputy Minority Leader said. “The bail must be reasonable, fair, and consistent with the law, not an indirect punishment.”
The Minority demanded that EOCO revise the bail terms to reflect fairness and due process.
“We demand the immediate review of the bail conditions imposed on Mr Wahab and his wife. Mr Wahab must be released on terms that uphold both dignity and the principles of justice,” Madam Appiagyei stressed.
She further warned against what the Minority perceives as a pattern of political retaliation under the current administration.
“Ghana must rise above the politics of revenge and retaliation. No public servant should be punished simply for serving under a different administration,” she said, calling on civil society groups, religious leaders, the media, and the broader Ghanaian public to push for fairness in the application of justice.
“Let us demand that our justice system be fair and not fearful. Let us resist the creeping abuse of power. Justice must not depend on political colours.”
The Minority Caucus, condemning the arrest and bail conditions imposed on Abdul Hannan Wahab, insisted “Mr Wahab is not a fugitive.”
Earlier, on June 29, Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei, in a press statement issued, described EOCO’s actions as political persecution and a blatant abuse of power, warning that “justice must not depend on political colours.”
EOCO picked up the 2024 NPP parliamentary candidate for Pusiga and his wife in what the Minority called a “coordinated arrest operation” in both Accra and Tamale on Wednesday, June 25.
“They were picked up as though they were fugitives,” the statement read, insisting that “he is a family man, not a criminal.”
What shocked Parliament’s Minority side even more, they say, are the excessive bail conditions imposed. This was after Mr Wahab was granted bail of GH¢50 million with two sureties, both of whom must justify their worth in assets. His wife was granted GH¢30 million bail with similar conditions.
“We find this unacceptable,” the Minority declared. “Bail is not supposed to be a punishment or a pre-conviction sentence. These conditions, by all standards, are excessive.”
They cited Section 96 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act and the Supreme Court ruling in Kpebu No. 2 v Attorney-General to argue that bail must be reasonable and take into account a person’s financial capacity.
“What is the justification for bail conditions that amount to financial punishment before trial?” they asked, adding
“Where in our laws does it say someone must risk bankruptcy just to secure their freedom while under investigation?”
They described the treatment of Mr Wahab and his wife as “harsh” and “humiliating,” warning that it “sends a worrying signal that people who have served under a past administration will be targeted once power shifts.”
The Minority accused the current NDC administration of weaponising state institutions, saying, “This is not about justice, it is political persecution. It is part of a broader pattern to intimidate perceived political opponents.”
The statement also had stern words for EOCO’s Acting Executive Director: “We urge Mr Raymond Archer to act with integrity. How he handles this will define his legacy. Posterity is watching.”
While acknowledging that accountability is essential, the Minority warned against turning legal processes into political tools.
“When institutions are weaponised to settle political scores, we damage the foundations of our democracy.”
They called on civil society, religious leaders, the media, and the general public to speak up. Let us demand that our justice system be fair, not fearful… Enough of the political harassment, persecution and intimidation!”
The Minority concluded by demanding “the immediate review of the bail conditions imposed on Mr Wahab and his wife,” insisting that “he must be released on terms that uphold both his dignity and the principles of justice.”
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