Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United States, Victor Smith, has disclosed that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta was medically fit to be held in a detention facility prior to his admission.
Mr Smith said ICE arranged for medical professionals to assess Mr Ofori-Atta shortly after his arrest to determine whether he could safely be detained.
According to him, the medical personnel concluded that Mr Ofori-Atta was fit to remain in the detention centre. Although the former minister was on medication, ICE indicated that he was not under the active care of a doctor at the time and had access to his prescribed drugs while in custody.
Mr Smith stressed that the medical assessment was conducted by healthcare professionals attached to the detention facility, not by ICE officers themselves. He added that ICE explained detainees with serious health conditions are typically referred to external medical facilities rather than being kept in detention centres.
The High Commissioner also revealed that the Ghanaian embassy made attempts to secure consular access to Mr Ofori-Atta but was unable to meet him because he declined to be visited without his lawyers present.
Mr Smith said his involvement began after Mr Ofori-Atta was taken into ICE custody, prompting discussions with consular officers at the embassy to ensure the former minister was being treated in accordance with international protocols.
Although ICE initially agreed to facilitate a consular visit, the arrangement fell through shortly before it was to take place. Mr Smith explained that ICE later informed the embassy that Mr Ofori-Atta had refused to meet with them, first without his lawyers present and subsequently under any circumstances.
He described the decision as unfortunate, noting that no one had visited the former minister at the time and that the embassy’s intention was to hear any concerns he might have and offer assistance where possible. Nonetheless, Mr Smith said the embassy respected Mr Ofori-Atta’s wishes and did not pursue further attempts to see him.
Background
Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is currently in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement over issues relating to his immigration status. His legal team has indicated that he is cooperating fully with authorities as efforts continue to resolve the matter.
According to his lawyers, Mr Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a process under US law that allows an individual to remain in the country beyond the validity of an initial visa. ICE has yet to announce a final decision on the case.
