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I would gladly hand over Abu Trica for Ken Ofori Atta in return – Attorney General
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has explained that although Ghana was ready to cooperate fully in extradition matters, the return of former Finance Minister Ken Oforiata from the United States could not happen instantly because the process must go through the courts.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series, Dr Ayine stated that the principle of reciprocity applied in extradition matters and noted that Ghana had already handed over Abu Trica when requested.
He indicated that he would have been happy to quickly receive Ken Ofori Atta in return, but stressed that extradition was a judicial process and not a simple exchange between governments.
The Attorney General explained that extradition cases are handled by courts of competent jurisdiction. In Ghana, such matters are determined by district courts, while in the United States, they are handled by federal district courts.
He noted that once a person becomes the subject of an extradition request, that person is entitled to challenge the process in court. As a result, the American authorities cannot simply receive a request and immediately hand over the individual involved.
Dr Ayine disclosed that he had recently been informed that Ken Ofori Atta had hired very experienced lawyers in the United States to contest the extradition.
He emphasized that he was not afraid of this development, but acknowledged that it meant a legal battle was likely in the US courts.
According to him, if a federal district court rules against the extradition, the accused person could appeal to a circuit court and even proceed to the United States Supreme Court.
He explained that for this reason, it was not possible to give timelines on when the former finance minister might return to Ghana.
The Attorney General noted that being accountable to the public required honesty and clarity, adding that the government could not mislead Ghanaians into expecting an immediate outcome.
He assured the public that on behalf of the government of President John Dramani Mahama, all the necessary legal steps had been taken to bring Ken Ofori Atta to Ghana to face trial.
By: Jacob Aggrey
National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
