FBI Clears Way for Ken Ofori-Atta’s Extradition

Efforts to extradite former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta have taken a step forward after the FBI declared the request from the Office of the Special Prosecutor a legitimate request and not part of a witch hunt.

According to myjoyonline, sources at the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) have satisfied themselves of the seriousness of the charges the former Finance Minister is facing.

The bureaucratic step clears the way for the extradition request to progress to its next stage.

Ken Ofori-Atta has accused the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) of a political witch hunt and abuse of his fundamental human rights.

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US law allows foreign nationals facing extradition processes to legally challenge the requests. However, the finding by the FBI limits Ofori-Atta’s options as the OSP seeks to return him to Ghana to answer questions in regards to several allegedly corrupt deals that occurred during his time in office.

Ken Ofori-Atta vs OSP

On June 2, 2025, the OSP declared Ken Ofori-Atta wanted once again after he failed to turn up for a scheduled meeting to answer questions in relation to several investigations including his alleged involvement in contracts with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) for revenue assurance, issues surrounding the National Cathedral project, and other financial dealings during his tenure as Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024.

The OSP initially declared the former Minister wanted in February, but removed his name from the fugitive’s list in on February 18 after negotiating with Ofori-Atta’s team to his arrival in Ghana in June.

Ofori-Atta missed the June deadline once more, claiming he was facing health challenges and undergoing cancer treatment.

His failure to turn up forced the OSP to declare him wanted once more.

Analysis of Ken Ofori-Atta’s extradition update

The decision by the FBI and DOJ to dismiss claims that the OSP’s extradition request is good news in seeking justice against the crimes of the previous NPP government.

The National Cathedral and SML contracts are particularly egregious deals that caused massive financial loss to the state, and Ofori-Atta, as Finance Minister at the time, has questions to answer.

He cannot hide behind the shield of illness and persecution to escape justice, and we hope that this latest news will lead to his eventual extradition to Ghana to face the music.