Leader of Arise Ghana, Bernard Mornah, has accused former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of being responsible for the country’s economic collapse and has called for his immediate return from the United States to face accountability.

To ensure that the finance minister is sent to Ghana from his abode in the US, Arise Ghana organised a demonstration at the US Embassy in Ghana on the same day Mr Ofori-Atta faces court in the United States over visa issues.

Speaking to JoyNews at the protest grounds on Tuesday, January 20, Mr Mornah clarified that recent developments in the United States regarding Ofori-Atta’s immigration status were unrelated to their demands.

He explained that the former minister had overstayed his visa and applied for permanent residency, prompting US authorities to detain him while reviewing his application.

Turning to the economic situation in the country, he accused Mr Ofori-Atta of being responsible for the nation’s financial woes, stating:

“We are insisting that Ken has been responsible for the economic abortion that this nation has gone through. The premature births that this nation suffered are all the consequences of the policies of Ken Ofori-Atta,” he claimed.

Mr Mornah also alleged that Mr Ofori-Atta had misappropriated public funds through Enterprise Insurance, a company he founded and later transferred to his wife.

On this, he said, “Ken and his administration have not denied that they took over 10 million and gave it to Enterprise Insurance.”

Addressing the lack of accountability and the absence of beneficiaries for the insurance scheme, Mr Mornah added:

“What is alleged about their admission that the money was given? What is alleged about the fact that they themselves accept that there was no beneficiary listed for the insurance that they said they were going to provide for frontline workers?... We are saying that they should return all those funds so that the people of Ghana can use these resources judiciously.”

The demonstration comes as the former minister remains outside the country amid ongoing investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor into several transactions approved during his tenure.

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.