Ofori-Atta to appear in U.S court today over visa issue

Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is set to appear before a United States court on Tuesday, January 20, following actions taken by U.S. immigration authorities over his legal status in the country.

This development has raised the possibility of extradition proceedings to Ghana, depending on the outcome of the hearing.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly determined that Mr Ofori-Atta no longer holds lawful status to remain in the country. While initial media reports framed the issue as a routine visa overstay, Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has dismissed that notion, asserting that the situation is far more serious.

Dr Ayine explained that Mr Ofori-Atta’s visitor visa was actively revoked by U.S. authorities rather than simply expiring. He noted that although the former minister had initially been permitted to remain in the United States until November 29, he did not depart within the stipulated timeframe. The Attorney-General stressed that the revocation was intentional and connected to ongoing investigations, rather than standard immigration enforcement.

“This is not simply an immigration issue. His visa did not expire; it was revoked. I state this on authority,” Dr Ayine said, adding that the visa was originally valid until February before being withdrawn.

The Ghanaian government has also requested Mr Ofori-Atta’s extradition in relation to inquiries by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), particularly investigations linked to the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) case. Dr Ayine indicated that Ghanaian and U.S. authorities are working closely to ensure the proper handling of the matter.

In a related case, Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), is scheduled to appear before a U.S. court on January 21 for proceedings connected to a potential extradition to Ghana over separate allegations. These developments highlight a coordinated approach between the two countries on matters involving legal accountability and investigations into financial activities.

Ken Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Minister for Finance from 2017 to 2024, becoming one of the longest-serving finance ministers in the Fourth Republic. He is also a co-founder of Databank Group, a leading financial institution in Ghana. During his tenure, he led significant economic initiatives, including debt restructuring programmes, fiscal reforms, and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Despite his contributions to the country’s financial sector, his time in office was marked by intense public scrutiny, parliamentary censure motions, and allegations of financial misconduct. Some of these matters are now under active investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, contributing to the ongoing legal proceedings in the United States.