Ghana has agreed to accept West African nationals deported from the United States, including Nigerians, President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed. This development comes after Ghana was approached by the US government to receive third-party nationals being removed from American soil.
Speaking at a recent media encounter, President Mahama explained that Ghana’s agreement with the US allows deported West Africans to enter the country without visas, as all citizens of West African nations do not require visas to travel to Ghana. “We were approached by the US to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the US. And we agreed that West African nationals were acceptable because all our fellow West African nationals don’t need visas to come to our country,” Mahama said.
He added that the first batch of deportees had already arrived in Ghana, including fourteen nationals, several of whom were Nigerians. “The first batch of fourteen nationals came, several of them were our Nigerian brothers,” the president revealed.
The president also mentioned that Ghana facilitated the return of deported Nigerians to their home country by bus while assisting a Gambian national’s repatriation. This reflects Ghana’s ongoing role in regional cooperation and humanitarian assistance within West Africa.
This decision sets Ghana apart from Nigeria, which has been vocal in refusing to accept third-party nationals deported from the US. Nigeria insists it will not accommodate individuals deported from other countries and has maintained a firm stance on the matter.
Ghana’s agreement makes it the fifth African country to cooperate with the US on deportation arrangements. Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Eswatini have previously entered similar agreements, accepting nationals deported from the US under this framework.
This development is part of broader efforts by the US to manage immigration and deportations by engaging with African nations to take responsibility for their nationals and third-country nationals within their regions.
For Ghana, this arrangement is not only a diplomatic engagement but also a reflection of the country’s open-door policy towards West Africans. The visa-free travel regime within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) allows citizens to move freely, making Ghana a natural choice to receive deportees from the US.
The agreement also highlights the challenges faced by West African countries dealing with irregular migration and deportations, especially those returning from the US, where immigration laws have tightened in recent years.
