Former Akufo-Addo legal counsel threatens legal action against gov’t over unpaid salary arrears

• Kow Essuman demands payment of unpaid salary arrears and terminal benefits.

• His lawyers have given the Finance Ministry until September 11 to pay.

• They threaten legal action against the State if payment is not made.

Through his lawyers, Vint & Aletheia Attorneys & Consultants, Mr Essuman has given the Ministry of Finance until Friday, September 11, 2026, to settle the outstanding payments.

The demand was contained in a letter dated September 8, 2026, and addressed to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

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Mr Essuman served as Legal Counsel to the President 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.

According to his lawyers, his appointment 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.

The lawyers said Mr Essuman became entitled to his salary arrears and terminal benefits after the end of his tenure but remains unpaid.

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They cited Section 2(c)(ii) of the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), which requires the Transition Team to ensure that salaries, allowances and retiring benefits due to specified public office holders are paid “without undue delay.”

The lawyers said more than 20 months had passed since the end of the Akufo-Addo administration, yet their client had not received his outstanding entitlements.

They further argued that other public officials who served during the same period had received their applicable salary arrears and terminal benefits.

“It is our position that 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.

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The lawyers also said Mr Essuman had previously raised concerns publicly over the non-payment of outstanding entitlements owed to former Presidential Staffers.

“Our Client has previously raised concerns publicly regarding the non-payment of outstanding entitlements to former Presidential Staffers and has also made representations seeking an administrative resolution of the matter,” they stated.

They said those efforts had not yielded the required outcome.

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The lawyers are demanding immediate payment of the full outstanding salary arrears and terminal benefits, together with interest from January 7, 2025, until the date of full payment at the prevailing commercial bank rate.

They have also warned that failure to settle the outstanding amount by September 11 will trigger legal action against the State.

“However, 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 lawyers stated.

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The letter was copied to the Chief of Staff, the Secretary to the President, the Legal Counsel to the President and the Attorney-General.