Ghana has become the latest country to accept people deported from the US as part of its campaign against undocumented migrants.
President John Mahama stated that nationals from various West African countries would now be accepted following a bilateral agreement with the US. He noted that 14 individuals have already arrived in Ghana, including several Nigerians and a Gambian.
He cited the regional bloc Ecowas's free movement protocol, allowing citizens of member states to enter and reside in other West African countries without needing a visa.
In the past, the US has deported migrants to countries like Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan. The recent group arriving in Ghana was facilitated by the Ghanaian government, which has already coordinated returning the Nigerians home by bus, while support is still being provided for the Gambian. We were approached by the US to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the US. And we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable, Mahama remarked.
Despite ongoing challenges, including heightened US tariffs on Ghanaian goods and visa restrictions on its nationals, Mahama expressed that relations between Ghana and the US remain stable. The Trump administration has sought agreements with several African nations to accept deportees as part of its immigration enforcement strategy. However, this has faced opposition from countries like Nigeria, which has resisted such pressures.
