The Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Joseph Whittal, has called on former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana and account for his stewardship, assuring him of protection should he face any unfair treatment upon his return.

“Accountability is expected right from day one of your appointment. I wish to assure him that he should not worry; if his rights are violated, CHRAJ will speak for him.

"He must come home and speak to the period he managed this country,” Mr Whittal said on January 23.

The Commissioner made the remarks when members of pressure group Arise Ghana visited his office to seek his support for their call for Mr Ofori-Atta’s return.

He stated that “accountability for handling public resources is non-negotiable.”

Meanwhile, Arise Ghana has temporarily suspended its picketing at the United States Embassy in Accra after submitting a formal petition to U.S. officials.

The suspension, set for one week, is intended to allow time for responses from American authorities. The group has warned that it will resume protests if no official assurances or responses are received regarding the swift return of the former finance minister.

Read also: Arise Ghana suspends picketing for a week pending US response

Arise Ghana began its picketing at the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, demanding that Mr Ofori-Atta return to Ghana to face justice.

Protesters gathered outside the embassy for four consecutive days, urging U.S. authorities to cooperate with Ghanaian institutions to ensure the former finance minister’s return.

The group maintained that the protest aimed to reinforce their demand that accountability be upheld and that Mr Ofori-Atta “return to Ghana to face justice.”