Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over questions relating to his immigration status, his lawyers said, as he remains under investigation in Ghana over several high-profile matters that have drawn sustained public scrutiny.
In a public notice dated Jan. 7, the law firm Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline & Partners said Ofori-Atta’s US legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously. The firm said the detention concerns the status of his stay in the US and stressed that he is fully cooperating with immigration authorities.
The lawyers said Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a legal process under US law that allows individuals to remain in the country beyond the validity of their visa while an application is under consideration. Such applications are common, the firm said.
In Ghana, the Office of the Special Prosecutor continues investigations into Ofori-Atta, the former minister is wanted to answer questions spanning several issues that have generated significant public attention. These include the Strategic Mobilisation Limited contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority, the termination of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s agreement with Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology, payments linked to the National Cathedral project, the procurement of ambulances, and the management of the Tax Refund Account.
Those investigations previously led to Ofori-Atta being placed on the OSP’s wanted list, a move that intensified public debate over accountability and governance during his time at the Finance Ministry.
Ofori-Atta, who served as finance minister from 2017 until early 2024, was a central figure in Ghana’s economic management during a turbulent period marked by a domestic debt restructuring, negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and a sweeping banking sector cleanup. His tenure has been sharply criticized by some industry leaders, including former Cal Bank Managing Director Frank Adu Jnr., who described the 2017–2018 banking sector cleanup as ill-informed and avoidable.
While the ICE detention is not linked to any criminal or financial investigation in the US, the developments involving Ofori-Atta are closely watched by Ghanaians assessing Mahama’s governance climate and reform trajectory.
The law firm said Ofori-Atta is a law-abiding individual and urged the public to note the legal context of the matter.
