Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta has been placed on Interpol’s Red Notice list, signaling a global alert for his arrest and extradition over multiple corruption allegations. Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) accuses Ofori-Atta of abusing public office for personal gain during his tenure.
The OSP first declared Ofori-Atta a fugitive on February 12, 2024, after he left Ghana and failed to confirm when he would return to respond to inquiries. At the time, he had been informed he was under investigation regarding procurement irregularities linked to the acquisition of ambulances and the controversial National Cathedral project, which has consumed over $58 million in public funds without completion. Though Ofori-Atta later contacted the OSP to reschedule a meeting for May, he failed to appear. As a result, Ghanaian authorities escalated the matter by requesting Interpol’s assistance to locate and detain him pending extradition. He is reportedly receiving medical treatment abroad and maintains that he has been unfairly targeted by the justice system.
Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Minister for Finance and Economic Planning from 2017 to February 2024 under President Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). His tenure was marked by both ambitious economic reforms and sharp criticism for economic mismanagement. In 2022, Ghana faced a severe financial crisis under his watch—its currency was among the worst performing globally, and the country defaulted on most of its external debt. He narrowly survived a parliamentary motion of censure in November 2022 and later led Ghana’s debt restructuring negotiations.
He was eventually removed from office during a cabinet reshuffle in 2024. Despite his departure, Ofori-Atta remains a polarizing figure in Ghana’s ongoing fight against high-level corruption and public sector accountability.
