as Former Minister Secures US Permanent Residency
By Prince Ahenkorah
The Minority Leader appears to be retreating from his earlier public commitment to help secure former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s return to Ghana, following reports that the embattled former official has obtained permanent residency in the United States.
Alexander Afenyo-Markin had previously assured Ghanaians that the Minority would facilitate Ofori-Atta’s return if the then NDC administration proceeded with the extradition of former MASLOC Chief Executive Sedinam Tamakloe. That condition has now been met; Tamakloe voluntarily returned to face legal proceedings – but the Minority Leader’s stance appears to have shifted.
The issue erupted in Parliament during a heated exchange between Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Afenyo-Markin, with Ayariga accusing his counterpart of reneging on a promise made in the chamber.
“In the not-too-distant future, when the economy has been stabilised, if you are able to get the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to come back to Ghana and account for all that he has taken out of the country, why?” Ayariga asked, reminding the Minority of their earlier commitment.
“You even promised to bring Ken Ofori-Atta to this country. We didn’t ask you, but you promised us in this chamber that you would bring Ken Ofori-Atta to Ghana.”
The Majority Leader’s challenge came after reports emerged that Ofori-Atta’s lawyers had informed a US court on Tuesday that he had been granted permanent residency status in the United States – effectively allowing him to remain abroad indefinitely.
Ayariga seized on the development, arguing that a former Finance Minister seeking permanent residency abroad raises serious questions about accountability.
“Now we are told that he has obtained permanent residency in the United States. A former Finance Minister running away from his country,” he said.
“If he has nothing to fear, he should man up and come back to this country and come and defend himself.”
In response, the Minority Leader mounted a vigorous defence, accusing the Majority of using Parliament to make accusations against an absent individual unable to defend himself.
“We cannot bring Ken Ofori-Atta’s name here when the man is not here to defend himself and make serious allegations against him,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
He appealed for fairness, describing Ofori-Atta as a citizen deserving of restraint in public discourse.
“He is a human being like you, a citizen like you. He also has children. He has his family. Be fair,” he said.
The Minority Leader further argued that any grievances should be pursued through appropriate legal channels rather than parliamentary debate.
“If you think that you have all your evidence, the court is yours… but don’t use this Parliament to launch an attack on Ken Ofori-Atta,” he added.
Ayariga, however, insisted that the Minority should be held accountable for their past statements, warning that Ghanaians would remember.
“Ghanaians should demand of the NPP that if they don’t produce Ken Ofori-Atta in this country, they should never come before them asking for power again,” he said.
He further accused the former administration of economic mismanagement, arguing that the consequences of those decisions continue to affect the country.
The former Finance Minister has been at the centre of accountability debates since leaving office, with critics demanding he return to address questions over his stewardship during Ghana’s debt restructuring and economic crisis.
Ofori-Atta’s reported acquisition of US permanent residency is likely to fuel further speculation about his willingness to face scrutiny. The Minority Leader’s apparent retreat from his earlier commitment raises fresh questions about whether Ofori-Atta will ever return – and whether the NPP leadership has the will or the means to facilitate his appearance.
For now, the parliamentary exchange has done little to clarify the former minister’s status. What is clear is that a political promise made in the heat of debate has now become a liability for the Minority Leader – and a weapon for the Majority.