Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has successfully undergone prostate cancer surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
The robotic-assisted procedure, which lasted four hours, was carried out on Friday, 13 June 2025, according to a statement issued by his wife, Professor Angela Ofori-Atta.
The statement noted that medical professionals are pleased with the outcome and that Mr. Ofori-Atta is currently on a postoperative care plan.
Describing the period as a “difficult” one, Prof. Ofori-Atta pointed to the added stress from a red alert issued by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) during the same time. Nonetheless, she shared optimism about his recovery and expressed gratitude to both the public and religious leaders for their prayers and support.
The legal troubles trace back to January 2025, when the OSP formally designated Mr. Ofori-Atta a suspect in five ongoing investigations and summoned him to appear on 10 February. The investigations cover allegations related to petroleum and minerals revenue assurance involving Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the termination of an Electricity Company of Ghana contract with Beijing Xiao Cheng Technology (BXC), procurement irregularities in the National Cathedral Project, an ambulance contract with Service Ghana Auto Group Limited, and the management of the GRA Tax P-Fund.
Responding on 31 January, Mr. Ofori-Atta’s legal team informed the OSP that he was undergoing medical treatment overseas and unable to return at that time. However, the OSP dismissed this explanation as too vague, requesting a clear return date.
On 10 February, a medical note was submitted mentioning tests and the likelihood of surgery, but it lacked specific details or formal address to the OSP.
Citing non-cooperation, the OSP declared Mr. Ofori-Atta a fugitive on 12 February. One week later, his legal team provided a timeline for return in May 2025, prompting the OSP to lift the red alert.
In March, the former minister took legal action, filing a case against the OSP and the Special Prosecutor, seeking compensation and the removal of posts referring to him as a fugitive from official channels. The Human Rights Court also heard an interim request to restrain the OSP from issuing further wanted notices.
Despite this, the OSP insisted it had not received certified medical records to support Mr. Ofori-Atta’s earlier absence, leading to the re-issuance of a Red Notice through INTERPOL.
In response, his family appealed to the INTERPOL Commission for the Control of Files, urging the withdrawal of the notice, citing his medical condition and the active legal proceedings.
Ken Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024, and was a central figure in Ghana’s economic reform efforts, particularly during the nation’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund.
