Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has clarified that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta did not overstay his visa in the United States, contrary to widespread public speculation, but rather had his visa formally revoked by U.S. authorities.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Dr Ayine said the circumstances surrounding Mr Ofori-Atta’s stay in the U.S. had been widely misunderstood and required clarification.
“I want Ghanaians to know that he just didn’t overstay his visa. The visa was actually revoked,” Dr Ayine stated. “They gave him up to November 29, 2024, to leave the United States. He did not.”
The Attorney General stressed that the issue had nothing to do with an expired visa, noting that Mr Ofori-Atta’s visa was originally valid until February 2025.
“This is not exactly about immigration. His visa is not expired. It expires in February. No, it was revoked. I am telling you this on authority,” he emphasized.
Dr Ayine disclosed that the visa revocation followed sustained engagements between Ghanaian authorities and their U.S. counterparts, particularly in relation to an extradition request initiated by his office.
“The extradition request that I sent was in respect of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) — the SME matter,” he explained. “I have been working with the Americans diligently on him. And the visa was revoked. And that is how come that he lost his immigration status in the United States.”
According to the Attorney General, the revocation directly affected Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal standing in the U.S. and accounts for the current developments surrounding his status.
