US Court Grants Former Ghana Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta Permanent Residency

A United States court has granted permanent residency to Ken Ofori-Atta, the former Finance Minister of Ghana who served in the Akufo-Addo administration, according to reports. Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana's Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, has faced significant public and parliamentary scrutiny over his handling of Ghana's public finances, particularly during the country's economic crisis and subsequent IMF bailout programme. The court's decision grants Ofori-Atta the legal right to reside permanently in the United States. The former minister has been based in the US following the end of his tenure under the Akufo-Addo administration. During his time as Finance Minister, Ofori-Atta oversaw several major economic decisions including Ghana's Eurobond issuances, the management of the COVID-19 economic fallout, and ultimately guided the country into an IMF Extended Credit Facility programme in 2023 after Ghana experienced its worst economic crisis in decades. Parlimentary pressure had mounted against Ofori-Atta, with a vote of censure motion filed against him by some members of Parliament in 2022, citing mismanagement of the economy. However, the motion ultimately failed to secure the required majority. The granting of permanent residency is a personal legal milestone for the former minister, though it is likely to generate political debate in Ghana, where questions about accountability for the country's recent economic difficulties continue to be raised in public discourse.