The governments of Ghana and the United States of America (USA) have come to a compromise in their efforts to deport undocumented Ghanaian immigrants.
This follows the U.S. government’s concern that the government of Ghana was not complying with international obligations regarding the issuance of travel documents to Ghanaians awaiting deportation.
The U.S. Embassy in Accra followed up with a statement saying the U.S. will be forced to begin implementing a visa restrictions regime in accordance with their laws as a responsibility owed to the American people if the government of Ghana did not play ball.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the U.S.A., Dr Baffour Adjei Bawuah told Class FM on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly on Monday, 24 September 2018 in New York that both governments have reached an agreement.
“What unfortunately turned out to be some kind of a tussle was the fact that the [Ghanaian] Embassy was having a difficulty just endorsing, as it were, a documentation when the embassy would not even have a basic information about the people who are being deported.”
He said: “It was quite unfortunate Ghanaian citizens with all the encouragement we are giving them don’t register with the embassies even though the passport says that whenever you travel, register with the nearest embassy.
“So, if we are asked to sign up to documentation to have them deported, in fairness to everybody, there ought to be a significant assumption that the embassy accepts that the person is a Ghanaian, the embassy understands that there has been an infraction of the law and the embassy understands that whatever the process was, was fair on the Ghanaian.
“But we are not in a position to testify to the fact that the Ghanaian had an infringement, the due process was applied to the person and, therefore, the person in fairness to America could be deported.
“We were not in the court when the proceedings were going on, so, we cannot testify to the fairness of the law…so to just be given names and asking for proper documentation for them to be deported was a bit tough for any embassy…
“If the person came in on an accepted documentation at the port of entry, there ought to be the documentation that allowed the person to be brought in. So, whatever basic information that was necessary, the American system should have it, so, if they do have it then they don’t have to come to us to ask if the person is Ghanaian…
“So, all we were talking about was for a certain fairness to be applied and the embassy, not necessarily pressured to agree to see some people deported, and this is where we had a certain difference of opinion but we have had enough discussions for a certain kind of sanity to prevail.
“I can, at least, confirm that we do have a certain kind of understanding on the process and we don’t have any tension with America anymore.”
Source: classfmonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
So yaw akrasi, are you saying the president of all latin america countries particularly Mexico has been paid by USA so that their children can be caged as it is happening to them? What sort of cheap logic is this? As much as we do not want our brothers and sisters to be deported since some of them are the only help that we have with their remittances helping us to survive, but this have nothing to do with a president or a particular person. It is all about the new USA administration policy.Things has changed and the new administration seems not to like anyone unless you are full blooded american, so please educate yourself and stop this low level thinking.
It makes sense for the government of Ghana to be asked if the individuals involved are Ghanaians. Just because the American system has these individuals listed as Ghanaians doesn't mean that they are. Why shouldn't the us government check with Ghana to make sure that these individuals being sent to our beloved Ghana are actually our people. Would Ghana like it if these people are sent to Ghana without notice?! Ghana must change.
The only president in the history of ghana to be bought with 20 million dollars and still agree to a foreign country to be deported to ghana without condition. Yes a shitholee president and administration only interested in friends concubine and family. Mahama government was corrupt but current administration is worse. L am ashamed