President John Dramani Mahama has called on former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana as the government pursues legal processes to secure his extradition.

Speaking during the Reset Tour and Citizens’ Engagement in the Volta Region on Friday, July 17, 2026, President Mahama urged Ken Ofori-Atta to return voluntarily and address the issues surrounding him, stressing that the matter is being handled through established legal procedures.

The President referenced comments Ofori-Atta made while serving as Finance Minister during calls by some New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament for his removal from office.

“You held the most sensitive position as finance minister and at the point when your own members of parliament, 80 of them signed an application that the president should remove you, you said something historic, you said you are like the father of children and that you can’t run away and leave your children,” President Mahama said.

He added, “So if we Ghanaians are your children, we are calling you, we are begging you, father come back, your children are calling you to come back.”

President Mahama questioned why a public official who believed he had acted properly would choose not to return to the country.

“If you are a man of principle and you believe you have done nothing wrong, I don’t see why you should flee your own country,” he stated.

He emphasised, however, that any extradition effort must comply with international legal standards and respect the rights of the individual involved.

“Extradition or return of fugitives from justice is a legal process and so you need to respect the rights of the person at the same time,” he explained.

According to the President, the Attorney General’s Department has already initiated the process by filing the necessary application and responding to requests for additional documentation.

“The Attorney General’s Department has done its best, it filed the application, there are some additional documents that were asked for that it is filing and eventually it will all go before an American judge to make a decision,” he said.

The remarks come as the government continues efforts to secure Ofori-Atta’s return through legal channels in the United States, where the final determination on any extradition request will be made by a US court.

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