Former Legal Counsel to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Kow Abaka Essuman, has demanded payment of his outstanding salary arrears and terminal benefits, giving the Ministry of Finance until Friday, September 11, 2026, to settle the amount.
Mr. Essuman, through his lawyers, Vint & Aletheia, formally wrote to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson on September 8, 2026, requesting immediate payment of the outstanding entitlements.
According to the letter, Mr. Essuman served as Legal Counsel to President Akufo-Addo from January 8, 2021, to January 7, 2025. He was also appointed Acting Secretary to the President from October 3, 2024, in addition to his duties as Legal Counsel.
His lawyers said his appointment terms entitled him to four months’ consolidated salary for every completed year of service or part thereof, 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.
They said despite the completion of his tenure, the former presidential staffer had not received his salary arrears and terminal benefits.
The lawyers cited Section 2(c)(ii) of the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), which mandates the Transition Team to ensure that salaries, allowances and retiring benefits due to Article 71 officeholders are paid without undue delay.
They further stated that more than 20 months had passed since Parliament determined the applicable salaries, allowances and retiring benefits, while other former officeholders had received their respective arrears and terminal benefits.
“Our Client, together with other former Presidential Staffers who served at the Office of the President in the previous administration, remained unpaid.”
The lawyers described the continued withholding of the entitlements as “arbitrary, discriminatory, unfair and unlawful”.
They are demanding payment of the outstanding amount together with interest from January 7, 2025, until the date of full payment.
The letter gives the Ministry of Finance until Friday, September 11, 2026, to settle the claim.
“If the outstanding entitlement is not paid by Friday, 11th September 2026, we have our Client’s firm instructions to commence proceedings against the State to recover the outstanding principal amount, interest, and costs, without further recourse to the Ministry.”
The demand follows earlier public exchanges over the payment of arrears and emoluments owed to former presidential staff.
In June 2026, Government Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu rejected claims that the government was selectively paying presidential staff arrears, saying the applicable salary structure for Article 71 officeholders had been approved by Parliament on January 6, 2025.
Mr. Essuman subsequently challenged that explanation, arguing that the President does not determine his own salaries and emoluments or those of his staff, and that the relevant remuneration framework was approved by Parliament at the end of the Akufo-Addo administration.
