Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, has confirmed that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s Ghanaian nationality is not in doubt, stating that United States immigration authorities are in possession of all three of his Ghanaian passports.
Mr Smith explained that the passports, all of which are Ghanaian biometric passports with identical personal details, conclusively establish Ofori-Atta’s nationality and remove any suspicion that he holds citizenship of another country. He noted that this distinguishes the case from many others handled by the Ghanaian mission, where deportation processes are often delayed because detainees lack proper documentation to prove their nationality.
His comments come amid heightened public interest following confirmation that Mr Ofori-Atta has been detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over questions regarding his immigration status. According to his legal team, the former finance minister is cooperating fully with ICE and has a pending petition for adjustment of status.
The Ambassador said the case is now before an immigration judge, who will determine whether there is a legal basis for Mr Ofori-Atta to remain in the United States. If no such basis exists, he indicated that the former minister could be returned to Ghana without delay.
Mr Smith stressed that with nationality clearly established through the three Ghanaian passports, the only outstanding issue before the court is Ofori-Atta’s immigration status in the United States.