The United States has granted permanent residency to former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, according to his lawyer, bringing to a close months of uncertainty surrounding his immigration status in the country.
Ofori-Atta, 66, has been residing in the United States since January 2025, where he sought medical treatment, including surgery for prostate cancer.
His stay in the country attracted attention earlier this year when he was arrested by United States immigration authorities while seeking to extend his stay. At the time, his legal team clarified that the arrest was related to immigration status issues and not to legal proceedings he was facing in Ghana.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ofori-Atta’s attorney, Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, disclosed that the former minister’s application for permanent residency had been approved.
“Ken Ofori-Atta’s Green Card I-485 petition has been granted by the US Immigration Court,” the lawyer said.
According to him, the court found the criminal allegations against Ofori-Atta in Ghana to be not credible, although he noted that the ruling was primarily based on whether his client met the legal requirements for adjustment of status under US immigration law.
Ofori-Atta was declared a fugitive by Ghanaian authorities in February 2025 and was formally charged with corruption-related offences in November of the same year.
He served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024 under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, overseeing major economic reforms, tax policy changes and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during a period of significant economic challenges.
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The development comes as the administration of President John Dramani Mahama continues its anti-corruption drive, which government officials say is aimed at promoting accountability. Critics, however, have accused the government of selectively targeting political opponents.
The approval of Ofori-Atta’s permanent residency application is likely to add a new dimension to ongoing legal and political discussions surrounding his case in both Ghana and the United States.
