Arise Ghana protests at US Embassy, calls for Ofori-Atta’s return to face probe

Pressure group Arise Ghana on Tuesday staged a protest at the United States Embassy in Accra, demanding the return of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to Ghana to answer questions over alleged financial impropriety.

Members of the group, dressed predominantly in red and black, gathered at the embassy in the morning hours, carrying placards with messages including “Bring Ken Home” and “No Hiding Place for Corruption.” The demonstrators insisted that ongoing investigations into the former minister’s stewardship should not be undermined by his continued stay outside the country.

The protest comes against the backdrop of investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) into a number of financial and procurement-related transactions approved during Mr Ofori-Atta’s time in office.

Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Finance Minister between 2017 and 2024 under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, a period marked by intense public debate over debt management, revenue assurance arrangements, and sole-sourcing contracts.

In recent years, the OSP has announced probes into several deals linked to his tenure, including aspects of public debt restructuring, revenue assurance contracts, and selected payments executed through sole-sourcing.

Although Mr Ofori-Atta is currently outside Ghana, his legal team has previously maintained that he remains open to cooperating with any lawful investigative process. His lawyers have cited health and security considerations as the reason for his temporary absence from the country.

Arise Ghana, however, insists that accountability must be pursued without delay, arguing that the credibility of anti-corruption efforts depends on ensuring that no public official is perceived to be beyond the reach of the law.

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