Mahama urges ex-Finance Minister Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana for legal process

Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has publicly called on former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana and face the ongoing legal investigations surrounding him. Speaking during his "Resetting Ghana Tour" in the Volta Region, Mahama detailed the legal procedures involved in extraditing fugitives, stressing that the process must adhere to international protocols and respect individual rights.

Mahama explained that extradition is contingent upon Ghana having an existing treaty with the country where the individual is located. He further clarified that the requesting nation must submit a formal application, after which the individual has the legal right to contest the extradition before a judge. "The person has the right to take a lawyer, go before a judge, and if he doesn’t want to come, he can argue against coming," Mahama stated, underscoring the judicial safeguards in place.

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The person has the right to take a lawyer, go before a judge, and if he doesn’t want to come, he can argue against coming.

The Attorney General's Department has reportedly filed an extradition application and is providing additional documentation as requested by the relevant authorities. Ultimately, an American judge will decide whether Ofori-Atta should be returned to Ghana. In a direct appeal, Mahama urged the former minister to return voluntarily. He invoked Ofori-Atta's past statement, where he described himself as a father who could not abandon his children, and implored, "We are begging you, Father, come back. Your children are calling you to come back."

Mahama questioned why someone who believes they have committed no wrongdoing would flee the country, asserting that the legal process should be allowed to unfold naturally. He reiterated that the matter is currently before the courts and will proceed according to the law. The call comes amid investigations into Ofori-Atta's tenure, during which over 80 Members of Parliament from the then-governing New Patriotic Party had previously called for his removal.

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We are begging you, Father, come back. Your children are calling you to come back.