Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This development occurred on January 6, 2026, with his lawyers confirming the detention the following day (January 7). He is currently held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia, and a court hearing is reportedly scheduled for January 20, 2026.

Letter of detention

Key Details

• Reason for Detention: Reports indicate issues related to his immigration status, including overstaying his visa or a revoked visa. Some sources (including Ghana’s Deputy Attorney General) clarify that his U.S. visa was revoked in mid-2025 (around June/July), with a deadline to leave by late November 2025. He had been in the U.S. since January 2025, initially for medical treatment (including prostate cancer surgery), and had applied to regularize or extend his stay.

• His Lawyers’ Statement: They describe him as cooperating fully with authorities and expect the matter to be resolved “expeditiously.” He was reportedly arrested during a targeted operation while leaving a luxury apartment in Washington, D.C.

• Ghanaian Government Involvement: Ofori-Atta has been a fugitive in Ghana since February 2025, declared wanted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on multiple corruption-related charges (including conspiracy to commit procurement fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and involvement in scandals like the SML case). He faces dozens of counts and was placed on an Interpol Red Notice. Ghana formally requested his extradition from the U.S. in late 2025. While the current detention is immigration-related, some officials suggest it ties into cooperation on the extradition process.

• Ghana Embassy Response: The Embassy in Washington, D.C., confirmed the detention, requested consular access, and is engaging U.S. authorities to ensure his rights are respected. However, Ofori-Atta declined to meet consular officials without his lawyers present.

This case has sparked significant discussion in Ghana, with reactions ranging from calls for swift extradition and justice to speculation about his future (e.g., possible deportation, asylum attempts on health grounds, or resolution of his U.S. status). The situation remains ongoing, with his legal team working to address the immigration issues.

On January 1, 2026, President John Dramani Mahama delivered his New Year’s message to the nation from the Jubilee House in Accra, reflecting on the progress made in his administration’s first year in office (following the 2024 elections) and outlining an ambitious vision for the year ahead.

The President declared that Ghana is “rising again” after inheriting a nation in economic distress in January 2025.

He highlighted achievements such as sharp reductions in inflation (projected to end 2025 in single digits around 5%), relative currency stability, restored business confidence, and prudent debt renegotiations, all under the government’s Reset Agenda.

A central theme was national unity. President Mahama passionately urged Ghanaians to transcend partisan divisions, stating:
“There is no NPP Ghana. There is no NDC Ghana. There is only one Ghana.”

He called for rejecting divisive politics, embracing mutual respect, and focusing on collective nation-building, emphasizing that “we are one people with a shared destiny” and that the Reset is for all citizens, regardless of political affiliation.

Looking to 2026, Mahama unveiled a bold roadmap for accelerated reforms and development, including:

• Strengthening social protection and universal health coverage via free primary healthcare.
• Economic transformation through job creation, agricultural mechanization, and value addition.
• Affordable social housing via public-private partnerships.
• 30% renewable energy in the national mix to reduce costs and promote sustainability.
• Intensified anti-corruption efforts with “no sacred cows.”
• Implementation of Constitutional Review Committee recommendations to deepen democracy.
• Continued digitalization in education and infrastructure improvements.

The address positioned 2026 as a year of scaling up initiatives for inclusive growth, accountability, and positioning Ghana as a leader in African democratic renewal through initiatives like the Accra Reset Initiative presented at the UN.

The message resonated widely, with analysts noting its focus on governance reset and shared responsibility, concluding with a call for hope, prosperity, peace, and progress in 2026.