Ghana’s political scene is heating up again as the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has been asked to investigate former vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia over alleged illicit enrichment and campaign financing breaches. The petition, filed by Solomon Owusu of Movement for Change and two others, questions how Dr Bawumia managed to procure more than 300 pickup trucks for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during its 2024 campaign.
Owusu, speaking to JoyFM, argued that the sheer scale of the vehicles alone points to “extraordinary financial resources” that demand scrutiny. He estimated the cost to run into tens of millions of dollars, saying Ghanaians deserve to know whether the money was sourced legitimately. According to him, the petition does not presume guilt but calls for transparency from a former vice president who later contested as NPP’s presidential candidate.
The petitioners want the OSP to dig deep into how the trucks were financed, audit the fundraising channels, and demand a sworn declaration from Dr Bawumia explaining the lawful sources of funds. They also urged that the final report be made public to ensure accountability. Citing Ghana’s Political Parties Act and Anti-Money Laundering laws, they warned that unchecked financing could lead to conflicts of interest or misuse of public resources.
But Dr Bawumia’s camp is brushing off the allegations. A spokesperson said they were yet to see the petition but promised to comply with any lawful process. He insisted there was “nothing extraordinary” about raising funds at scale during campaigns, pointing to common methods such as individual donations, fundraising dinners, short codes and supporter networks.
For now, the OSP has remained silent on whether it will launch a formal investigation. But with Movement for Change hinting at more petitions targeting campaign financing across political parties, this case could become the first big test of Ghana’s anti-graft watchdog in the post-2024 political era.
