It has emerged that troubled former Minister of Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori Atta, who is being held in custody by United States (US) authorities, was offered support by Ghana’s High Commission.
But the one time powerful government official, refused the offer without explanation, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the US, Victor Emmanuel Smith has disclosed.
Per a statement issued by the High Commissioner on Saturday, January 10, Victor Smith confirmed both the detention by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the gesture extended to the detainee.
“The Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC, can confirm that Ghana’s former Minister for Finance, Mr Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, has been taken into custody by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) in the United States. Upon receiving this information, the Embassy undertook the necessary steps to verify the circumstances surrounding the matter.
Following confirmation, the Embassy formally contacted the relevant detention facility to request access to Mr. Ofori-Atta in order to provide consular assistance in line with established diplomatic and international protocols. The Embassy was informed by the facility that the detainee declined to engage with consular officials at that time without his lawyers present”, he said.
The High Commissioner went on to assure all that “The Embassy of Ghana remains in contact with the appropriate United States authorities and will continue to follow the matter closely to ensure that Mr Ofori-Atta’s right are totally respected”.
Indeed, the issue of Ofori-Atta refusing support from consulate officials was first revealed by the Deputy Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Justice Srem-Sai on TV3’s Keypoints programme, on Saturday, January 10. Speaking to host, Alfred Ocansey on a number of issues concerning his sector, Dr Srem-Sai said the Commission was just doing what it routinely does for Ghana’s held in that country.
“Indeed, yeah. As, you know, in the case of any other high-ranking public official. Just like any citizen who finds himself at risk. And he said he didn’t need it. I mean, he did not accept”, he said.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time the Embassy was offering this show of support in recent times to Ghanaians who are in the grips of the US authorities.
In December, the ambassador paid a visit to Ghanaians held in ICE detention facilities in Philadelphia in Pennsylvanian, to learn at first hand their condition and concerns.
Upon the team’s arrival in Philly, Victor Smith received a briefing of the center housing eleven Ghanaian detainees, including one female, for various lengths of time, the longest being ten months and the shortest, and two weeks.
The purpose of the visit among others, was to:
1. Know how they were being treated
2. Know their state of health
2. Listen to their concerns
3. Empathize and encourage them to keep on until both countries, Ghana and US, arrive at a resolution.
By Gifty Boateng