The Cabinet has authorized Ghana’s involvement in a third-country deportation agreement with the United States, which entails accepting certain West African deportees, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Mr. Ablakwa clarified that the existing agreement is merely a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and not a legally enforceable agreement during his remarks at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, September 15.
“Let me emphasise that under this understanding with the United States, Ghana must first independently vet the background of those the U.S. intends to deport, to satisfy ourselves that they do not pose any threat to the security of our country and that they cannot harm our citizens,” The minister stated.
“The Mahama administration would never compromise the safety and well-being of Ghanaians,” he said, emphasizing that stringent measures had been put in place to ensure that hardened criminals are not admitted into the nation. The Minister claims that the Attorney General reviewed the decision and Cabinet deliberated it carefully before approving it.
“By established convention, MoUs are not sent to Parliament for ratification. I have inherited hundreds of MoUs from the previous administration, which were not sent to Parliament for ratification”, he explained.
May I assure the nation that if this initial understanding is elevated into a full-blown agreement, we shall not hesitate to comply with Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution by proceeding to Parliament for ratification,” He added.
The Minority in Parliament expressed concerns over the weekend and called for the suspension of what it called an unconstitutional pact, which prompted his remarks.
With reference to humanitarian concerns and Ghana’s Pan-African ideals, President John Dramani Mahama had previously affirmed that his country had taken in a small number of West Africans who had been deported from the United States.
The initial group of 14 deportees, which included Gambians and Nigerians, had reached Accra, he disclosed, and were subsequently helped to return to their places of origin.
President Mahama’s earlier statement reads: “The government of Ghana took the principled and humanitarian decision to accept the limited number of West African nationals deported from the United States under exceptional circumstances, in line with Ghana’s long-standing Pan-African ideals and unwavering commitment to regional solidarity.”
Mr. Ablakwa emphasized that in exchange for its collaboration, Ghana had not received and would not pursue any material or financial gain.
He made it clear that the agreement does not imply support for President Donald Trump’s immigration policies in the United States.“Our decision is grounded purely on humanitarian principles and Pan-African solidarity to offer temporary refuge where needed, to prevent further human suffering, and to maintain our credibility as a responsible regional actor. Ghana’s decision must be understood as an act of Pan-African empathy. It is not transactional like Rwanda, Eswatini, Uganda, or South Sudan,”
“Since the days of our forebears, Ghana has hosted freedom fighters, welcomed Africans in the diaspora, offered them safe haven, resources, citizenship, and even passports. That is why we are seen as the maker of Pan-Africanism. We shall not depart from that inspiring track record.”
Regarding other topics, Mr. Ablakwa emphasized the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Operation Retrieve and Account for Lands (ORAL) initiative’s advancements.
The strategy, he added, had canceled incorrectly granted contracts, including a $3.5 million repair agreement in Abidjan, restored public lands at the Airport Residential Area, and prevented the unlawful transfer of diplomatic buildings in Lagos and Lusaka.
Adding that in order to guarantee value for money and transparency, stringent procurement regulations are now in place, he stated; “Every single contract has gone through a competitive, credible process — from passport courier services to cleaning contracts. Competitive procurement is now the mainstay.”
Citing President Mahama’s recent visit to Singapore, where a bilateral framework was agreed to help improve Ghana’s anti-corruption agencies, including EOCO, CHRAJ, OSP, and the Police CID, Mr. Ablakwa noted that ORAL had garnered international support.
