Ghana will not admit hardened criminals under US deportee agreement – Okudzeto Ablakwa

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has reassured Ghanaians that no convicted or hardened criminals will be allowed into the country under the recently announced agreement with the United States to receive deported West Africans.

Mr. Ablakwa explained that every individual considered for return will undergo independent vetting and background checks before being admitted, to ensure they pose no security threat.

His comments come after President John Dramani Mahama revealed on September 10 that Ghana had already accepted 14 deportees under the arrangement.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, September 15, the Minister said Ghana’s decision was guided by its Pan-African ideals and commitment to human rights, especially as some deportees had endured difficult detention conditions abroad.

“The government of Ghana took the principled and humanitarian decision to accept a limited number of West African nationals deported from the United States under exceptional circumstances, in line with our Pan-African values and regional solidarity,” Ablakwa stated.

He emphasised that strict safeguards were in place:

“We will scrutinise the background of every individual to be certain they pose no danger to our citizens. Convicted hardened criminals will not, under any circumstances, be brought into the country.”

Mr. Ablakwa further clarified that Ghana is not receiving, nor seeking, any financial compensation or material benefit from the agreement.

He added that the arrangement was thoroughly examined at Cabinet level and reviewed by the Attorney General before being approved.

Yaw Opoku Amoako

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