Ghana is currently grappling with two significant political and diplomatic controversies: the prolonged absence of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta amidst calls for him to face corruption investigations, and an indefinite US visa freeze on Ghanaian citizens, which the Minority Caucus attributes to "reckless diplomacy." These issues have ignited public protests, parliamentary debates, and raised concerns about national accountability, economic stability, and international standing.

The demand for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s return to Ghana to answer questions regarding his stewardship of the economy has intensified. Hopeson Adorye, Director of Field Operations for the United Party, has warned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) against discussing corruption if Ofori-Atta remains abroad, emphasizing that his continued stay in the United States could become a permanent political burden for the NPP. Adorye asserts that the credibility of the NPP’s anti-corruption stance is undermined if the former minister avoids accountability under the guise of medical treatment. He stressed that accountability should apply to all public officials, warning that failure to act would encourage future politicians to evade justice. Adorye also highlighted the NPP's past complaints that only members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have faced imprisonment since the Fourth Republic, urging Ofori-Atta to return and prove his innocence if he is indeed clean.

Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024, is at the center of multiple public controversies, including alleged financial mismanagement and procurement-related concerns. The Office of the Special Prosecutor has announced investigations into various transactions during his tenure, such as revenue assurance contracts, public debt restructuring processes, and payments made through sole-sourcing arrangements. His lawyers have previously stated his willingness to cooperate with lawful investigations, citing health and security concerns for his temporary stay outside Ghana. Adorye, noting that Ofori-Atta's self-declared return date of January 28, 2025, from a letter dated January 2, 2025, was nearly a year past as of January 20, 2026, questioned his prolonged absence and firmly opposed the idea of trying him in absentia.

These calls for accountability culminated in a demonstration by the pressure group Arise Ghana outside the US Embassy in Accra on Tuesday, January 20, joined by Hopeson Adorye. Protesters, clad in red and black, carried placards demanding "Bring Ken Home" and "No Hiding Place for Corruption," timing the protest to coincide with Ofori-Atta’s appearance before a US immigration court. Adorye described the picketing as "very strategic," clarifying that the court hearing was an immigration matter—specifically, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asking the judge to order Ofori-Atta’s deportation—rather than an extradition process. He expressed hope that a deportation order would pave the way for Ghanaian authorities to pursue the matter.

However, Frank Davies, a member of Ofori-Atta’s legal team, questioned the effectiveness of such protests. Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse, Mr. Davies doubted that congregating in front of the American Embassy with placards would lead to Ofori-Atta’s deportation, suggesting that such actions would not influence the American government and that if it were that simple, the world would be in chaos. He further queried why the Ghanaian government, through the Attorney General, had not triggered formal extradition processes if deportation was so easily achieved through protests.

Concurrently, Ghana faces a diplomatic crisis following the United States’ announcement of an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing for Ghanaians. The Minority Caucus in Parliament held an emergency press conference on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, accusing Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of “reckless diplomacy.” Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that the visa freeze directly affects families awaiting reunification and professionals relying on lawful migration, asserting that Ghanaian citizens are paying the price for the Foreign Minister’s approach. He criticized Ablakwa for choosing "theatre over strategy," engaging in public confrontations and social media rebuttals instead of careful engagement with crucial allies, leading to Ghana’s humiliation on the global stage.

The economic implications of the visa freeze are a major concern for the Minority. Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh highlighted that the US accounts for the largest share of remittances to Ghana, amounting to between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion annually. He warned that the freeze threatens this vital economic lifeline, which supports ordinary families with school fees, medical bills, and small businesses. The Minority criticized the Foreign Minister’s "amateur diplomacy," which involved public posturing and inflammatory statements instead of quietly resolving technical issues with the US Embassy. They further argued that Ghana is increasingly viewed as unpredictable internationally, citing the government’s public pursuit of reciprocal deportations with Israel after the deportation of Ghanaian nationals in December 2025 as a dangerous departure from traditional diplomatic practice. This, they claim, weakens Ghana's standing and limits its ability to secure lobbying support from partners like Europe.

The Minority Caucus has outlined urgent measures to address Ghana’s inclusion on the US visa freeze list. They appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to immediately deploy a special envoy to Washington with the authority and credibility to negotiate Ghana’s removal from the list, warning that delaying action would be costly. The caucus also called for the urgent recall of Ghana’s Ambassador to the US, Victor Emmanuel Smith, citing alleged unprofessional behavior and a failure to protect the country’s diplomatic interests. Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh accused the ambassador of being distracted by unnecessary political exchanges, violating consular confidentiality, and entangling the diplomatic mission in partisan domestic matters. The Minority stressed the need for competent diplomacy, not showmanship, urging President Mahama to act swiftly to safeguard national interests, rebuild confidence, and prevent further damage to Ghana’s reputation and economic stability.