30% passport fee cut won’t affect govt's finances –Ablakwa
US govt to cover costs of deporting over 50 Ghanaians
US govt to cover costs of deporting over 50 Ghanaians
By: Abigail | 2 mins read
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced that the Ghanaian government is not responsible for the travel expenses of Ghanaians facing deportation from the United States.
Speaking in Parliament while responding to questions about his ministry, on Thursday, March 13, the North Tongu Member of Parliament (MP) explained that the U.S. government is covering all travel costs for deportees. He emphasized that Ghana’s only responsibility is to facilitate their return by issuing the necessary travel certificates.
"There's another issue I must quickly speak to which has to do with the tickets with the returnees. Let place on record that the USA authorities are bearing the cost. They are paying the ticket fares for the deportation of our nationals, and all of these deportations they are doing, they are taking acre of the cost. We are only to facilitate by providing the travel certificate and making sure that as the receiving country, we are ready to receive them when they arrive, but we are not paying for the tickets; the US authorities are handling that," he said.
His comments come amid the U.S. government’s intensified immigration enforcement, which has led to the mass deportation of undocumented migrants.
He further went on to assure Ghanaians that the individuals being deported from the United States are not criminals but rather hardworking people who failed to regularize their immigration status.
Providing details in Parliament, the North Tongu MP stated, "And in terms of the profile, so far I can confirm that so far the profiling we have done these are indeed Ghanaians, but they are Ghanaians who did not commit any crime, or are hardened criminals; they are decent people who were in search of greener pastures and didn't regularize their stay... They are very harmless, so there shouldn't be concern in Ghana that when we accept these people they may attack or undermine the safety of our nationals."
Ablakwa urged Ghanaians to support these deportees who are facing this setback following their quest to seek greener pastures. "What they need is our empathy and our care and to show them compassion," he added.
Three Ghanaians in the United States are set to be deported on commercial flights on March 19, March 28, and April 1.
Also, fifty Ghanaians currently facing deportation from the United States are expected to be deported by mid-2025.
The ongoing deportations are part of an intensified immigration enforcement effort by U.S. authorities, which began on January 26. The crackdown, led by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, has so far resulted in nearly 1,000 arrests, focusing on individuals considered threats to public safety and national security.
The Ghanaian government has pledged to continue monitoring the situation and providing necessary support to affected nationals.
