Buffer Stock case: Afenyo accuses Raymond Archer of turning EOCO into a “one-man institution”
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused the Executive Secretary of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Raymond Archer, of centralising authority within the anti-graft agency. This follows growing controversy surrounding the re-arrest of former National Food Buffer Stock Company Chief Executive Abdul-Wahab Hanan and his wife.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday (9 May), Afenyo-Markin described EOCO as a “one-man institution,” raising concerns about governance, accountability, and institutional balance within the state investigative body.
“Raymond Archer has made EOCO a one-man institution,” the Minority Leader said, warning that “strong institutions must not be reduced to the will of one individual.”
His remarks come days after Hanan and his wife, Faiza Sayyid Wuni, were re-arrested shortly after the Office of the Attorney-General withdrew charges against them, citing the emergence of fresh evidence.
The development has sparked public and legal debate over prosecutorial discretion, investigative powers, and due process within Ghana’s criminal justice system.
Lawyers for the couple, led by former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, have alleged that they were denied access to their clients for more than 24 hours following the re-arrest—an allegation that has intensified scrutiny of EOCO’s handling of the case.
EOCO has, however, rejected suggestions of wrongdoing, insisting that all procedures were conducted in accordance with the law as investigations continue.
Afenyo-Markin said the controversy highlights the need for transparency and stronger oversight mechanisms within anti-corruption institutions, particularly in politically sensitive cases.
The Hanan case has become one of the first major legal controversies confronting the Mahama administration since returning to office, with opposition figures increasingly questioning the conduct of state investigative agencies and the independence of prosecutorial decisions.
Editor:
Obiri-Yeboah
