The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained Kenneth Ofori-Atta, the former Finance Minister of Ghana, regarding the status of his residency in the country.
In a statement released by Ofori-Atta’s legal team, it was confirmed that he was taken into custody on Tuesday and is currently being held at the Caroline detention facility. The lawyers noted that there is a pending petition concerning his stay in the US, where he has reportedly been receiving medical treatment for over a year.
Okay News reports that Ofori-Atta’s detention comes amidst significant legal troubles back home. The former minister, who served under President Nana Akufo-Addo from 2017 to 2024, was declared wanted by Ghanaian authorities in February 2025 after failing to appear for corruption inquiries. The Ghanaian government subsequently filed charges against him in November and formally requested his extradition from the United States in December 2025.
Despite the corruption allegations and the extradition request, his legal representatives in the U.S. maintain that the current detention is strictly related to immigration status issues. They are in contact with ICE officials and have expressed confidence that the matter will be resolved expeditiously.
