Former finance minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta declined consular access when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials contacted the Ghanaian embassy following his detention, officials have stated.
In a statement signed by Ambassador Victor Emmanuel Smith, the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C., said it had formally reached out to the detention facility to provide consular support, as per diplomatic protocols.
However, Ofori-Atta reportedly refused to engage with embassy officials without his lawyers present.
“The Embassy of Ghana remains in contact with the appropriate United States authorities and will continue to follow the matter closely to ensure that Mr. Ofori-Atta’s rights are totally respected,” the statement said.
Close monitoring
The embassy emphasized that it is providing assistance in accordance with established international procedures and diplomatic protocols, and will continue to monitor the case closely.
No further details on the reason for Ofori-Atta’s detention were disclosed, and the embassy reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the legal rights of Ghanaian citizens abroad.
A-G reaction
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme, Ayine said Ofori-Atta was apprehended in the Virginia area on 6 January after an earlier attempt to arrest him on 4 January, did not materialise.
“The arrest was supposed to occur on January 4, and they did not do so. But on Tuesday, January 6, they apprehended him in the Virginia area and took him away,” Ayine said.
The attorney-general said Ofori-Atta’s visa was revoked in July 2025 and that he was given until 29 November 2025, to voluntarily leave the United States. He said the revocation resulted in the loss of Ofori-Atta’s lawful immigration status.
“It is not exactly about immigration. His visa was revoked. I am telling you this on authority,” Ayine said, adding that his most recent engagement with U.S. authorities took place three days earlier.
New twist
Ayine suggested there were attempts to downplay the seriousness of the matter by framing it as a standard immigration issue.
“I mean, they want to give it that twist to make it look like there is nothing wrong,” he said.
According to a statement from Ofori-Atta’s legal team, the former minister has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a process under U.S. law that allows an individual to remain legally in the country beyond the validity of an initial visa.
Ayine also linked the detention to Ghana’s ongoing accountability processes, disclosing that he had submitted an extradition request connected to investigations being conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
“The extradition request that I sent was in respect of the OSP,” he said.
He added that he has been working closely with legal representatives in the United States on the case.
“I have been working with the American defence diligently on him, and the visa was revoked, and that is how come he lost his immigration status in the United States,” Ayine said.
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