Ghana has received its first group of deportees from the United States, with 14 people arriving in Accra as part of an understanding between the two governments.
The deportees included nationals from Nigeria and The Gambia, who have since been assisted to return to their home countries.
Speaking at the government accountability series at the presidency, the minister of Foreign Affrairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said President John Dramani Mahama had confirmed the agreement during a media engagement on September 10, 2025.
“The U.S. government approached Ghana with a request to receive some of these individuals, and his administration agreed to do so, provided they were nationals of West African countries,” Mr Ablakwa explained.
The arrangement allows Ghana to receive West African nationals being deported from the US under what he described as “exceptional circumstances.”
The minister emphasized that Ghana receives no financial compensation for accepting the deportees, stating the decision was based purely on “humanitarian principles and African solidarity.”
He revealed that Ghana has implemented strict security measures to prevent convicted criminals from entering the country under this arrangement.
Mr Ablakwa said the government conducted thorough vetting to ensure deportees “do not pose any threat to the security of our country and that they cannot harm our citizens.”
“We have put in place strict safeguards to ensure that convicted, hardened criminals cannot be brought into our country under this understanding.
“The Mahama administration will never compromise the safety and well-being of Ghanaians,” he said
The arrangement has been discussed by Cabinet and received advice from the Attorney General, according to Ablakwa.
The minister noted that as a memorandum of understanding, the agreement does not require parliamentary ratification under established convention.
However, he assured that if elevated to a full agreement, the government would comply with Article 75 of the 1992 constitution by seeking parliamentary approval.
“I have inherited hundreds of MOUs from the previous administration which were not sent to Parliament for ratification,” Ablakwa said.
The minister framed Ghana’s decision within the context of its Pan-African heritage, comparing it to actions by Rwanda, Eswatini, Uganda, and South Sudan in welcoming fellow Africans.
“Many of these individuals were being held in detention, which was both psychologically and physically distressing.
“They were also faced with the risk of being deported to countries that are not safe and do not have the stability and human rights protections,” he noted.
The minister said the decision was “guided solely by our moral responsibility, our legal obligations under the 1992 constitution and ECOWAS protocols, our distinguished Pan-African track record and history.”
He clarified that accepting deportees should not be seen as endorsing the immigration policies of the Trump administration, noting that Ghana has historically provided safe haven to Africans in distress.
“Since the beginning of our war, Ghana has hosted freedom fighters, welcomed all Africans in the diaspora, offered them safe havens, resources, citizenship, and even our partners.
“That is why we are seen as a mecca of Pan-Africanism” Mr Ablakwa said
The minister assured transparency in the process, stating that President Mahama “has absolutely nothing to hide on this matter” and operated under principles of accountability.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
