Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has dismissed suggestions that the country is benefiting financially from its recent understanding with the United States to receive West African deportees.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, September 15, Mr. Ablakwa emphasized that the decision is rooted in humanitarian principles and Pan-African solidarity, not monetary gain.

“Ghana has not received and does not seek any financial compensation or material benefit in relation to this understanding,” he said. “Our choice is grounded purely in humanitarian principle and Pan-African solidarity — to offer temporary refuge where needed, to prevent further human suffering, and to uphold our credibility as a responsible regional actor.”

The Minister stressed that Ghana’s acceptance of deportees should not be interpreted as an endorsement of American immigration policies.
“This is an act of Pan-African empathy, not a transactional arrangement,” he explained. “Just as Rwanda, Eswatini, Uganda, and South Sudan have welcomed fellow Africans, Ghana is also standing up for our brothers and sisters in distress. It must not be misconstrued as support for the policies of the Trump administration.”

Mr. Ablakwa further clarified that the arrangement is a memorandum of understanding (MoU) rather than a binding treaty, and therefore does not require parliamentary ratification at this stage.

He assured the public that all individuals proposed for deportation will undergo strict vetting and security checks before entry is approved.

The clarification comes amid heightened debate over the deal, with critics questioning its legal basis and possible implications for Ghana’s national security.