Ken Ofori-Atta Secures US Green Card as Ghana Pursues Extradition

A United States immigration court has granted former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori‑Atta adjustment of status, giving him permanent residency (a green card). The court based its decision solely on U.S. immigration statutes and did not rule on the corruption allegations that led Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to label him a fugitive and place him on an Interpol red notice.

Ofori‑Atta, who travelled to the United States for medical treatment, remains wanted in Ghana over the alleged mishandling of a revenue‑assurance contract that the OSP says cost the country over GH₵1.4 billion. The OSP has stated it will continue to seek his extradition, emphasizing that the immigration ruling does not affect the pending criminal case in Ghana.

Legal analysts in Ghana warn that any extradition effort will be “a lengthy and very complex legal battle,” noting that the green card offers Ofori‑Atta additional legal protections and that U.S. authorities retain discretionary power in extradition matters. The situation highlights the diplomatic and judicial challenges between the two nations over the former minister’s accountability.