The Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has said efforts to return former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, to Ghana began under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to the lawmaker, the extradition process was initiated shortly after Sedina’s conviction, and therefore credit should be given to the previous administration for laying the groundwork that eventually led to her return.
Speaking on the matter, Awuah noted that significant legal and diplomatic steps had already been taken by mid-2024 to secure her extradition.
“By July 2024, processes had already been initiated to ensure her return to Ghana,” he stated.
The MP explained that although the extradition efforts were underway, the process took time because Sedina challenged the proceedings in the country where she was residing.
“Proceedings were ongoing, but she was fighting them. Eventually, she decided to surrender and return home,” he said.
Awuah stressed the need for public discussions surrounding the case to accurately reflect the timeline of events and acknowledge the work that had already been done before the current administration assumed office.
“It is important to put these facts on record because many people are discussing the matter without acknowledging how long the process has been underway,” he added.
His comments come after Sedina Tamakloe Attionu arrived in Ghana this week following her extradition from the United States.
The former MASLOC CEO was convicted in absentia by the Accra High Court in April 2024 and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment over offences linked to financial losses caused to the state during her tenure at the microfinance institution.
She was found guilty alongside former MASLOC Chief Operating Officer Daniel Axim, who received a five-year prison sentence with hard labour.
Following her arrival in Ghana, Sedina was handed over to the relevant security agencies and is expected to begin serving her sentence.
The case has reignited political debate, with some members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) arguing that the extradition process was largely driven by actions taken under the Akufo-Addo administration, while others have praised the current government for ensuring that the process reached its conclusion.
The extradition marks the latest development in one of Ghana’s most high-profile corruption-related cases involving a former public official.
