Ken Ofori-Atta

Ken Ofori-Atta ran Ghana's Finance Ministry for nearly eight years, from January 2017 until 2024, under President Nana Akufo-Addo. Since 2025 he has faced criminal charges brought by the Office of the Special Prosecutor while living in the United States.

Background

Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta was born at Kyebi in the Eastern Region, the son of the economist and politician Jones Ofori-Atta. He attended Achimota School, briefly taught mathematics at Accra Academy, then studied economics at Columbia University and took an MBA at Yale in 1988, working at Morgan Stanley and Salomon Brothers.

Databank

He co-founded the Databank financial group and was its executive chairman until 2012. In 1996 he became the first African to testify before the US Congress Ways and Means Committee, in support of the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Finance minister

Akufo-Addo nominated him in January 2017 and he took office on 27 January. In 2018 he chaired the World Bank and IMF Development Committee. His tenure included the 2022-23 debt crisis and Ghana's IMF programme.

Charges and extradition

After the change of government the OSP charged him in connection with its investigations, and the Attorney-General has sought his extradition from the United States. In June 2026 his lawyers said a US immigration judge had granted him permanent residency and questioned the charges; the OSP said the ruling did not affect the criminal case or the extradition request. He denies wrongdoing and is presumed innocent.