Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has declared former Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive and initiated a request for an Interpol Red Notice for his arrest and extradition following his failure to appear for questioning on Monday.
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, announced the move late Monday after Ofori-Atta failed to comply with a summons regarding multiple financial investigations.
The former minister is being probed over alleged irregularities tied to the disbursement of public funds during his tenure, including expenditures on the controversial National Cathedral project and procurement contracts involving ambulance spare parts.
“It is more than three hours past the scheduled time for Mr. Ofori-Atta’s appearance,” Agyebeng stated. “Consequently, the Office of the Special Prosecutor declares that Mr. Ofori-Atta is a wanted person and a fugitive from justice.”
This marks the second time Ofori-Atta has been declared wanted by the OSP. In February, the anti-graft agency issued a similar notice, which was subsequently rescinded after the former minister reportedly agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
His renewed absence now signals a breakdown in that earlier commitment.
The OSP has not yet disclosed the specific charges that may be brought against the former official but has indicated that the investigations encompass potential breaches of procurement laws, misappropriation of state resources, and abuse of public office.
Ken Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s finance minister from 2017 until early 2024. During his tenure, the country experienced significant macroeconomic challenges, culminating in a sovereign default and a $3 billion loan arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2022 aimed at stabilizing public finances.
The National Cathedral project, which has received hundreds of millions of Ghanaian cedis in state funding, remains at the center of public criticism over its transparency, cost overruns, and contract processes.
Ofori-Atta is alleged to have approved multiple tranches of payments related to the project outside established budgetary and procurement protocols.
Opposition figures and civil society groups have welcomed the OSP’s latest action, citing the need for accountability in the management of public funds, especially at a time when the country continues to implement austerity measures under the IMF program.
In a brief statement issued through his legal team, Ofori-Atta denied any wrongdoing and stated that he remains committed to clearing his name.
However, no indication has been given as to his current location or willingness to voluntarily return for further proceedings.
If the Interpol request is approved, the Red Notice will trigger international law enforcement cooperation to track and apprehend Ofori-Atta across jurisdictions where applicable.
The Special Prosecutor’s office, established in 2018 to combat high-level corruption, has intensified its efforts in recent months, targeting former public officials and high-profile procurement processes.
As of the time of this report, Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on the extradition process, and no formal arrest has been confirmed.
The development signals a broader institutional push for financial accountability ahead of Ghana’s upcoming election cycle.
