President John Mahama hasn't considered granting a presidential pardon to any public official convicted of corruption-related offences, according to the Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo.
Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, June 13, Mr Baidoo was responding to the extradition and conviction of Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, the former Chief Executive of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC). She was recently returned to Ghana from the United States after being convicted on more than 70 corruption-related charges.
The US Embassy in Ghana announced the extradition on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. They described it as evidence of strengthened law enforcement cooperation between Ghana and the United States and a shared commitment to tackling corruption.
Attionu was convicted of embezzling more than US$6 million in public funds. The Akwatia MP was emphatic that President Mahama hasn't considered any form of pardon for her.
“I can tell you at least in the interim… President Mahama has never contemplated a pardon, never. I can tell you on authority,” Mr Baidoo stated.
He argued that expectations of accountability for public officeholders remain consistent with the former president's broader governance philosophy, particularly regarding the handling of corruption-related cases. According to him, individuals who serve in public office must ultimately be prepared to account for their actions through established legal processes.
Mr Baidoo also referenced the widely debated Montie 3 case. He argued that it's often mischaracterised in public discourse and shouldn't be conflated with financial crimes involving state resources. He noted that the nature of that case differed significantly, stressing that it didn't involve the misappropriation of public funds.
“Montie 3, did anybody steal Ghana’s money? That matter is a different matter,” he said, adding that the comparison is frequently used inappropriately in political debate.
The Akwatia MP maintained that if any party believes there have been irregularities in the conviction or extradition process involving Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, the appropriate course of action is to pursue legal redress through the courts rather than seek political intervention.
“President Mahama believes that if you serve in public office, you must account for it one day and that is exactly what we have. If her lawyers think that something untoward has happened, they should use the judicial process,” he said.
Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu served as CEO of MASLOC, a government agency set up to provide microfinance and small loans to low-income entrepreneurs. The embezzlement of over US$6 million has sparked public outrage and calls for stricter anti-corruption measures.
Her extradition from the US marks one of the high-profile corruption cases in Ghana's recent history, with the US Embassy highlighting the cooperation between the two countries in fighting corruption.