Ghana Places INTERPOL Red Notice on Former Finance Minister Ofori-Atta

Interpol has issued a Red Notice for Ghana’s former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who is wanted for abuse of public office and corruption.

The move follows his formal designation as a fugitive by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which accused him of refusing to cooperate with an ongoing investigation. Ofori-Atta is reportedly out of the country receiving medical treatment. The OSP initiated a request for an Interpol Red Notice for his arrest and extradition following his failure to appear for questioning on Monday, June 2.

Prosecutors allege that during his tenure (from January 2017 to February 2024), Ofori-Atta caused the state significant financial losses and violated procurement procedures. A primary focus of the investigation is the controversial national cathedral project, where $58 million in public funds was allegedly spent despite the project remaining a bare construction site.

Though the Red Notice is not an arrest warrant, it alerts global law enforcement agencies to locate and detain him for possible extradition. In a statement, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng said, “We want him here physically, and we insist on it. A suspect does not pick and choose how an investigation is conducted.”

In February, Ofori-Atta appealed to be removed from the wanted list, submitting medical documents and promising to return to Ghana by May. The OSP briefly accepted and removed his name. However, after failing to show up, he was re-declared wanted. His legal team, led by Frank Davies, has criticised the OSP for ignoring medical records submitted in good faith.

Ofori-Atta also filed a lawsuit in March against the OSP, claiming unlawful treatment and requesting the removal of posts about him from its social media pages. The case is ongoing.

He served under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) until the party lost power in the December 2024 elections. President John Mahama, who assumed office in January 2025, launched a wide-reaching anti-corruption campaign known as Operation Recover All Loot. President Mahama has vowed to make Ghana unsafe for corruption and directed the Attorney General to pursue all credible complaints.

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