Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Hassan Tampuli, says growing political agitation in Ghana over former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta risks undermining efforts to extradite him from the United States.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Tampuli argued that the heavy politicisation of the matter may strengthen Ofori-Atta’s legal defence abroad and make Ghana’s request appear frivolous in the eyes of U.S. authorities.
“We have politicised the case so much that we have even fortified his case in the US,” he said, warning that the situation could turn the extradition effort into what he described as “a foolish case.”
His comments follow days of demonstrations at the U.S. Embassy in Accra by groups demanding Ofori-Atta’s return to face legal processes in Ghana.
Tampuli noted that attempts to hold former high-ranking public officials accountable after leaving office have been rare in the Fourth Republic. However, he cautioned that intense political rhetoric and public pressure surrounding this case could damage its legal credibility internationally.
According to him, portraying the matter as politically driven may give Ofori-Atta’s legal team grounds to argue that the extradition request is rooted in vendetta rather than due process.
“You have made the case so political that even the US government will be thinking twice before they allow him to come,” he added.
