Lawyers for former Legal Counsel to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Kow Abaka Essuman, have given the government until Friday, September 11, 2026, to pay his outstanding salary arrears and terminal benefits.
In a letter dated September 8, 2026, and addressed to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the lawyers demanded payment of the amount due to Mr Essuman following the end of his tenure in January 2025.
Mr Essuman was appointed Legal Counsel to then-President Akufo-Addo in January 2021 and was later appointed Acting Secretary to the President in October 2024, in addition to his duties as Legal Counsel.
He served in those positions until January 7, 2025, when President Akufo-Addo’s tenure ended.
According to the lawyers, the terms of Mr Essuman’s appointment entitled him to terminal benefits, including four months’ consolidated salary for every completed year of service or part thereof.
They said he was also entitled to 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 argued that the benefits, together with any outstanding salary arrears, became due to their client at the end of his tenure.
Lawyers cite Presidential Transition Act
In their demand, the lawyers cited Section 2(c) of the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), which requires the Presidential Transition Team to ensure that salaries, allowances and retiring benefits due to specified public office holders are paid “without undue delay.”
They alleged that while the Speaker and Members of Parliament, former Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, and members of the Council of State had received their respective arrears and terminal benefits, Mr Essuman and other former presidential staffers remained unpaid.
The lawyers described the continued withholding of Mr Essuman’s benefits as “arbitrary, discriminatory, unfair and unlawful.”
They said their client had made several representations to have the matter resolved but had not received payment.
Demand includes interest
The lawyers are demanding payment of the outstanding amount together with interest calculated from January 7, 2025, at the prevailing commercial bank rate.
They have given the Ministry of Finance until Friday, September 11, 2026, to settle the principal amount and accrued interest in full.
The lawyers warned that failure to meet the deadline would compel Mr Essuman to commence legal proceedings against the State to recover the outstanding amount, interest and associated costs.
They, however, indicated that Mr Essuman remains willing to resolve the matter without litigation.