Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has assured the public that Ghana is taking strict steps to prevent hardened criminals from entering the country as part of deportations from the United States.
Addressing the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House on Monday, September 15, Mr. Ablakwa stressed that national security is a top priority, adding that all deportees undergo rigorous checks before being admitted.
“We will not allow any hardened criminal to be settled in Ghana. Every deportee goes through thorough verification processes to safeguard the safety of our citizens,” he said.
His remarks follow controversy surrounding a U.S. court case in which Judge Tanya Chutkan questioned whether the Trump administration violated immigration protocols by deporting Nigerians and Gambians to Ghana instead of their home countries.
The case has sparked debate in Ghana, with opposition MPs warning that the arrangement risks aligning the country with what they describe as the U.S.’s “harsh and discriminatory” immigration policies.
Mr. Ablakwa, however, defended government’s position, insisting that Ghana’s sovereignty and security interests will not be compromised under any international agreement.
