Ex-Ghana Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta Granted US Permanent Residency Amid Corruption Case

Former Ghana finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been granted US permanent residency after an immigration court approved his Green Card application while he is facing corruption charges in Ghana. He had been in the US for medical treatment and was previously detained by US immigration authorities over his stay status. Ghanaian authorities had declared him a fugitive and charged him with corruption, but the US court ruled on his immigration eligibility separately from the allegations in Ghana.

The United States has granted permanent residency to Ghana’s former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta, according to his lawyer, bringing an end to a prolonged legal and immigration episode that included his detention by US authorities while he was seeking to extend his stay for medical treatment.

Ofori-Atta, aged 66, has been in the United States since January of the previous year, where he travelled to receive medical care, including surgery for prostate cancer. His extended stay became complicated earlier this year when he was arrested by US immigration authorities while he was in the process of applying to extend his residency.

His legal representatives clarified at the time that his arrest by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was related to questions surrounding his immigration status, and not directly linked to the corruption allegations he faces in his home country of .

In February 2025, Ghanaian authorities declared Ofori-Atta a fugitive after he failed to return to the country amid ongoing investigations. By November of the same year, he was formally charged with corruption-related offences as part of broader anti-corruption efforts by Ghanaian law enforcement agencies.

Despite the legal proceedings in Ghana, his immigration case in the United States continued independently. His lawyer, Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, announced that his Green Card application (Form I-485) had been approved by a US immigration court, granting him permanent residency status. According to the lawyer, the court concluded that the criminal charges in Ghana were not credible, although the decision was based primarily on whether he met the legal requirements for adjustment of status rather than a full adjudication of the allegations.

The ruling effectively allows Ofori-Atta to remain permanently in the United States while his legal situation in Ghana remains unresolved.

Ken Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s finance minister from 2017 to 2024 under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, where he oversaw major economic policies, including controversial tax reforms and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) aimed at stabilising the country’s economy.

His tenure was marked by both economic reforms and public criticism, particularly over fiscal measures introduced during periods of economic strain. His successor, President John Mahama, has since intensified efforts to address corruption and strengthen accountability in public office.

The development adds a new layer to an already politically sensitive case that spans both immigration and criminal investigations, highlighting the intersection of international legal systems and domestic accountability processes.