Ghana is bracing for the arrival of another 40 West Africans deported from the United States, the second batch to return under a quiet arrangement with Washington. According to Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the group is expected in the coming days once a vetting process is complete. Speaking on Channel One TV, he stressed: “We vet them before they come.”
The announcement follows President John Dramani Mahama’s confirmation last week that Ghana had agreed to the US request. Washington had asked Accra to help accommodate “third-party nationals” as part of efforts to curb illegal migration. Mahama clarified that while Ghana was cooperating, the deal was not an endorsement of Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies.
The agreement has sparked debate at home. Opposition MPs accused Mahama’s government of bypassing parliamentary approval, insisting the deal needed legislative ratification. But the foreign ministry countered that the arrangement was covered under a Memorandum of Understanding, which did not require a vote in parliament.
For Ablakwa, the decision rests on moral grounds rather than politics. He explained that many deportees face brutal conditions abroad and need a safe place to land. “We’re not doing the US a favour. We’re doing our fellow Africans a favour. We’re offering them refuge, hope, and we want them to come back home and be comfortable,” he said.
He further dismissed claims that Ghana was benefiting financially from the deal, emphasizing that it was a humanitarian gesture to reinforce Ghana’s image as a welcoming home for Africans. “We want to continue to position Ghana as the Mecca for Africans,” Ablakwa added. Preparations are already in motion to support reintegration once the deportees arrive.