Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has assured that the Government of the United States has given firm guarantees that it will not interfere with Ghana’s ongoing extradition processes involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and convicted former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedinam Tamakloe-Attinou.
The assurance followed a high-level engagement between Mr. Ablakwa and the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Accra, Mr. Rolf Olson, held as part of broader discussions to deepen bilateral relations between Ghana and the United States. According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, the meeting addressed judicial cooperation and Ghana’s request for the removal of the two high-profile individuals currently under U.S. jurisdiction to face legal proceedings at home.
The development comes against the backdrop of strengthened Ghana–U.S. security, justice, and cybersecurity cooperation in recent years. In 2025 alone, Ghana extradited nine suspects to the United States to face trial over romance-scam and cyber-related offences. Ghanaian officials say the gesture has been met with reciprocal assurances from Washington to facilitate, and not obstruct, Ghana’s own extradition requests involving Ofori-Atta and Tamakloe-Attinou.
“Ghana and the United States applauded our improved security and law enforcement cooperation leading to the extradition of 9 suspects from Ghana to the USA in 2025, and the ongoing commendable efforts to also send over 2 Ghanaians of high interest from the US to Ghana.”
“The United States Government has assured, that without prejudice to judicial processes, it will not stand in the way of Ghana as regards the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta and Sedina Tamakloe Attionu.” Mr. Ablakwa stated.
The position aligns with earlier disclosures by Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, who confirmed that Ofori-Atta is currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) involved in aspects of the case.
Ambassador Smith revealed that Ofori-Atta’s U.S. visa became invalid in November 2025, that he has declined embassy courtesies without the presence of his legal team, and that he is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge virtually on 20 January 2026.
Meanwhile, Sedinam Tamakloe-Attinou was convicted in absentia by an Accra High Court in April 2024 and sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment for causing financial loss to the state amounting to approximately GH¢90 million. She was found guilty alongside MASLOC Operations Manager Daniel Axim on multiple counts, including stealing, conspiracy to steal, money laundering, and breaches of public procurement laws.
Former Deputy Attorney-General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah previously disclosed that extradition proceedings against Tamakloe-Attinou had been initiated in 2024 but stalled due to procedural challenges. Government sources indicate that the process has since been revived following a renewed national push for accountability under the current administration.
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