Members of the civic pressure group Arise Ghana, picketed at the United States Embassy in Accra on Tuesday, January 20, demanding the return of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to Ghana to face justice.
According to the group, the action was aimed at urging U.S. authorities to cooperate with Ghanaian institutions in ensuring Ofori-Atta’s return. Demonstrators argued that no public official should be allowed to evade accountability.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Dramani Selom Dzramado, a leading member of Arise Ghana, emphasized the principle of accountability in public office.
“Accountability is the bedrock of democracy. Without it, democracy cannot stand. One of the tenets of democracy is accountability. It is what gives the public confidence that duty bearers will answer for their actions,” he said.
He added that the picketing would last for two weeks, after which the group may extend the action if Mr. Ofori-Atta is not repatriated.
“Originally, our plan was an indefinite picket until Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta returns to Ghana. But after discussions with the police, we agreed to limit this to two weeks. If he does not come back, we will resume for another two weeks,” he stated.
The demonstration comes amid ongoing legal challenges facing Ofori-Atta, who was declared a fugitive by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in February 2025 in connection with multiple corruption investigations.
The former finance minister faces 78 counts of corruption and related offences, including allegations linked to a GH¢125 million contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), the National Cathedral Project, the ambulance procurement scandal, and various electricity company contracts.
Ofori-Atta left Ghana in January 2025 for medical treatment at the Mayo Clinic in the United States and has since failed to appear for questioning by the OSP.
This led to an Interpol Red Notice being issued in June 2025. Ghana formally requested his extradition from the US in December 2025.
He was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 6, 2026, in Washington, DC, for overstaying his visa and is currently being held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia.
Ofori-Atta is scheduled to make an appearance in a US court later today, Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in relation to his immigration and legal status in the United States.