US embassy cable - 05ACCRA302

UNCLAS ACCRA 000302 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LAGOS FOR DEA - CLAYTON WHEELER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC, CJAN, GH, KTIA, KWMN, PHUM, Trafficking 
SUBJECT: DCM MEETS GHANA'S NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL, DISCUSSES 
TRAFFICKING AND EXTRADITION 
 
 
1.  Summary:  On February 9, DCM Jerry Lanier and PolChief 
paid a courtesy call on Ghana's new Attorney General and 
Minister of Justice Ayikoi Otoo.  DCM highlighted our 
interest in passage of an anti-trafficking law and in 
negotiating a new extradition treaty, as well as obtaining 
the extradition of Grace Coleman.  End summary. 
 
Trafficking in Persons 
---------------------- 
 
2.  DCM explained our trafficking in persons (TIP) report and 
noted that Ghana was the only sub-Saharan African state on 
Tier 1.  It is unlikely Ghana will remain on Tier 1 unless it 
passes anti-trafficking legislation, he said.  He hoped Otoo 
would support passage of a law.  Otoo responded that he had 
seen the draft anti-trafficking bill and had received some 
briefing material on the law.  Since this was his first week 
as minister and there had not yet been a meeting of Cabinet, 
he could not make commitments at this point about passage of 
the bill. 
 
Extradition Issues 
------------------ 
 
3.  DCM noted that we have been seeking a new extradition 
treaty with Ghana for several years because many crimes are 
not covered in the current 1931 treaty.  He noted our good 
cooperation on extradition issues with Ghana, including the 
recent extradition of Amcit Carmella Warren, and he hoped the 
GOG would help us with our outstanding extradition request 
for Member of Parliament Grace Coleman, who was convicted in 
the U.S. of forced labor and several other charges.  Otoo 
took note of our issues but said before turning to 
substantive matters he was spending his first week at the 
ministry dealing with internal staffing concerns. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
4.  The meeting laid down several markers on which we will 
follow up over the coming weeks.  Otoo was receptive and 
noted his hope to "strengthen the bonds of friendship" with 
the United States. 
 
Bio 
--- 
 
5.  Ayikoi Otoo (54) is a prominent lawyer, with law degrees 
from the University of Ghana, Legon and the Ghana School of 
Law.  Before becoming minister, he was the National Secretary 
of the Ghana Bar Association and ran a private law practice. 
He is a director of Geminie Life Insurance Company and 
several other private firms. He has no previous government 
experience. An ethnic Ga from Accra, he is married with four 
children. 
YATES