Mahama Urges Ken Ofori-Atta to Return to Ghana Amid Extradition Process

President John Dramani Mahama has appealed to former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana as the government pursues legal steps to bring him back from the United States.

Speaking during the Reset Tour and Citizens’ Engagement in the Volta Region on Friday, July 17, President Mahama reminded Ofori-Atta of comments he made while serving as finance minister.

Mahama recalled that when some Members of Parliament called for his removal from office, Ofori-Atta said he could not abandon his responsibilities because he was like a father to the nation.

“You held the most sensitive position as finance minister and when 80 of your own members of parliament signed an application asking the president to remove you, you said you were like the father of children and that you couldn’t run away and leave your children,” Mahama said.

“So if we Ghanaians are your children, we are calling you, we are begging you, father come back, your children are calling you to come back.”

The President said Ofori-Atta should return if he believes he has done nothing wrong.

“If you are a man of principle and you believe you have done nothing wrong, I don’t see why you should flee your own country,” he said.

Mahama, however, stressed that the extradition process must follow the law and respect Ofori-Atta’s rights.

“Extradition or return of fugitives from justice is a legal process and so you need to respect the rights of the person at the same time,” he said.

He added that the Attorney General’s Department has started the necessary legal procedures and has submitted additional documents requested as part of the process.

“The Attorney General’s Department has done its best. It filed the application, there are some additional documents that were asked for that it is filing, and eventually it will all go before an American judge to make a decision.”