Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is undergoing a critical surgical procedure in the United States as part of his ongoing battle with prostate cancer—marking a deeply personal chapter in the life of a man long associated with public service and national leadership.
The procedure, a radical prostatectomy, is being carried out today, Friday, 13 June, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Family sources confirm that the surgery is a significant step following a recent diagnosis that revealed the cancer had progressed.
Mr. Ofori-Atta, 65, has been quietly receiving medical care and monitoring in the U.S. over the past few weeks, following confirmation of the diagnosis in March 2025. The disease was detected through a series of MRI scans and biopsies, which showed an increase in the spread of cancer cells within the prostate.
This is not the first time the former minister has faced serious health challenges. He continues to manage a post-COVID Multi-System Inflammatory Response Syndrome, diagnosed in 2021 after a difficult bout with the virus. That condition has required continued attention from his medical team.
Family members have traveled with him to Minnesota and are supporting him closely through what they describe as a “courageous and hopeful recovery process.”
Ken Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, overseeing key economic reforms and leading the country through the fiscal turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as delicate negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.
Though he has stepped back from frontline politics, his ongoing health journey has drawn well-wishes from across the political divide, with many Ghanaians recognizing his contributions to national development.
