Nii Lantey Vanderpuye Urges Ken Ofori-Atta to Return Home and Face Accountability
- Nii Lantey Vanderpuye has urged former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana and face accountability for his time in office.
- He stressed that public officeholders have a duty to be transparent and respond to questions from citizens
- The call comes after Ofori-Atta was released from US ICE custody following his arrest over visa overstay
Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, the National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), has urged Ghana's former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to return home and face accountability for his time in office.
Vanderpuye, who is the former MP for Odododiodioo in the Greater Accra Region, warned that attempts to evade accountability could tarnish the former Finance Minister's legacy and reputation.
Source: Getty Images
Speaking on Channel One TV's Breakfast Daily show on Thursday, April 9, 2026, the DRIP Coordinator said public officeholders have a duty to be transparent to the citizens who entrusted them with power and state resources.
"It is in his own interest, the interest of the party, and the family he belongs to, to subject himself to accountability,” he stated. “You were entrusted with a position by the people of Ghana, and as such, you must be accountable to them."
In a report by Citi News, Vanderpuye also bemoaned what he described as the growing tendency among politicians to evade scrutiny of their stewardship.
He consequently urged his fellow politicians to confront allegations of wrongdoing against them rather than ignore them.
The former MP, who also served as Minister for Sports and Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, said responding to questions from the public ought to be seen by politicians as a fundamental obligation of leadership.
“If the people have identified infractions in how you discharged your duties, it is only proper to come forward and answer to them. I detest situations where politicians assume they owe no explanation. We were entrusted with positions and assets, and we must be ready to account for them,” he added.
Ken Ofori-Atta released from ICE custody
His comments come after Mr Ofori-Atta was released from the custody of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on April 8, 2026.
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Ken Ofori-Atta no longer on ICE detainee list, Barker Vormarwor and co question whereabouts
Ofori-Atta, who was detained in an ICE facility in Virginia for visa overstay, faces multiple corruption charges in Ghana.
However, checks by YEN.com.gh showed that searches of Ofori-Atta's name in the relevant detainee database returned no results.
Why Ken Ofori-Atta is wanted in Ghana
The former Finance Minister reportedly left Ghana for the US between January 2 and 4, 2025, after the NPP lost the 2024 elections.
Following several unsuccessful attempts to get him to return home willingly to respond to corruption allegations, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, declared him wanted.
In November 2025, the OSP finally filed 78 corruption-related charges against Ofori-Atta and five others in relation to revenue assurance contracts between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).
Source: UGC
Ken Ofori-Atta's lawyer slams Martin Kpebu
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that Ken Ofori-Atta's lawyer, Frank Davies, had criticised fellow lawyer Martin Kpebu, questioning his understanding of due process.
The clash came amid Martin Kpebu’s strong calls for the extradition of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Davies described Kpebu’s public statements as unprofessional, saying they make one wonder whether he is truly a lawyer.
Source: YEN.com.gh
