By John Kofi
Ghana’s former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who is wanted by authorities in Accra over corruption-related allegations, has been detained in the United States due to issues linked to his immigration status, his lawyers said on Wednesday.
Ghanaian authorities have previously sought Ofori-Atta’s extradition to face questioning and possible prosecution, but his legal team is challenging the request, arguing that the accusations are politically motivated.
Ofori-Atta, who served as finance minister from 2017 to 2024, left Ghana last year for medical treatment, according to his lawyers. Confirming his detention in the United States, they said they expected the matter to be resolved “expeditiously.”
The allegations against Ofori-Atta relate to procurement and financial management decisions taken during his tenure, including deals linked to revenue assurance, debt management and public sector contracts. Ghana’s Special Prosecutor has said Ofori-Atta is a person of interest in multiple investigations but has not secured his return to Ghana.
The government has formally requested his extradition, though no timetable has been made public. U.S. authorities have not commented on his detention or the status of the extradition request.
Ofori-Atta has consistently denied wrongdoing.
