President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has thrown his support behind pressure group Arise Ghana’s decision to picket the United States Embassy in Accra on January 20, to demand the return of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to Ghana to face what the group describes as “justice.”

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, Mr Cudjoe criticised the former Finance Minister for failing to return to the country to answer questions over several controversial transactions approved during his tenure.

“For me, the whole thing is making me feel very bad because the Ken Ofori-Atta I used to cherish, the sort of conversations we used to have, he is suddenly becoming a brave coward, a very brave coward, and he does not want to come and answer questions,” he said.

Mr Cudjoe argued that every citizen has a right to demand accountability from public office holders, stressing that this forms the basis of his support for the planned protest.

“Every citizen has a right to ask questions or to demand answers from their duty bearers. That is the reason why some of us think we should support this cause,” he stated.

He insisted that Mr Ofori-Atta must return to Ghana to answer questions from state institutions, expressing surprise at what he described as disrespect shown to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

“I am surprised. This is a gentleman who brought a lot of savings, responsibility and several programmes. All of a sudden, this country has become like a banana republic. He cannot come into the country to face questions. Together with his lawyers, they continue to malign the OSP and make him look like a toy,” he said.

The protest is being organised by Arise Ghana, a pressure group that has announced plans to picket the US Embassy in Accra to demand Mr Ofori-Atta’s return.

Ken Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2024 under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, has been at the centre of multiple public controversies over alleged financial mismanagement and procurement-related concerns.

In recent years, the Office of the Special Prosecutor announced investigations into several transactions approved during his tenure, including revenue assurance contracts, public debt restructuring processes, and payments made under sole-sourcing arrangements.

His lawyers have previously stated that he remains willing to cooperate with any lawful investigative process, citing health and security concerns for his temporary stay outside the country.

Meanwhile, speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse, a leading member of Arise Ghana, Selorm Dzramadao, said the planned protest has been formally communicated to both the US Embassy and the Ghana Police Service, with assurances of adequate security for demonstrators.