President John Mahama of Ghana has explained that he agreed to accept West African deportees from the United States of America because it was part of the Economic Committee of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol to allow visa-free movement for all citizens of the regional bloc.
Addressing the media on Wednesday evening, President Mahama clarified that everyone from any of the ECOWAS member nations has the right to move freely within any member country for 90days without visa.
He announced that 14 deportees including citizens of the Gambia and Nigeria had arrived Ghana from the US, but did not disclose their location or any plans to integrate them into the Ghanaian system.
According to the President, “We were approached by the US to accept 3rd party nationals who were being removed from the US. And we agreed with them that West African nationals , you know, were acceptable beause all our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to come to our country so if they decide to come to Ghana they can come and stay for 90 days.
“West Africa has a protocol of free movement. Any West African is welcome in Ghana.”
Ghana has now joined Rwanda, Eswatini and South Sudan as countries in Africa that accepted a controversial US immigration policy that allows the US to ship “illegal immigrants” to countries not originally theirs.
Nigeria had earlier declined a similar offer from the US.
