U.S. GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR KEN OFORI-ATTA AND SEDINA TAMAKLOE’S EXTRADITION
Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa reveals American assurance; extradition process to proceed without political obstruction
The United States government has assured Ghana it will not politically block the extradition of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and convicted former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe Attionu to face justice in Ghana.
This significant assurance was delivered during a high-level diplomatic meeting in Accra between Ghana’s Foreign Ministry and a U.S. delegation led by the Acting U.S. Ambassador, Rolf Olson.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, made the revelation in a detailed Facebook post on Wednesday, following the closed-door talks which reviewed the full scope of Ghana-U.S. relations.
“The United States government indicated that, without prejudice to ongoing judicial processes, it would not obstruct Ghana’s efforts to secure the removal of Mr Ofori-Atta and Ms Tamakloe Attionu,” Ablakwa stated.
The former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is currently detained in the United States by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His detention follows a formal extradition request from Ghana related to corruption and procurement charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor. U.S. courts are now reviewing both his immigration status and the extradition request.
Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, who was convicted and sentenced in absentia in 2024 for causing financial loss to the state, remains a fugitive. The Attorney-General’s Department confirmed a formal extradition request for her was submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice in mid-2024 and remains under active review.
Beyond the extradition matters, Minister Ablakwa painted a picture of robust and improving bilateral ties. He noted that the meeting celebrated progress in 2025 and set cooperation priorities for 2026.
Key achievements secured for Ghana include:
- A continued exemption from former President Donald Trump’s visa sanctions and visa bond requirements.
- The removal of a 15% U.S. tariff on selected Ghanaian agricultural exports.
- Positive progress on extending the critical African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
- Enhanced collaboration in security, trade, health, and visa facilitation ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Minister Ablakwa described the current state of relations with the United States as possessing “incredible positive velocity,” signalling a new peak in diplomatic, economic, and law enforcement partnership between the two nations.
The U.S. assurance removes a major potential political hurdle, meaning the fate of the two high-profile individuals now rests primarily with the judicial processes of the United States legal system.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
