The Foreign Affairs ministry has described as baseless claims by the United States government that Ghana has refused to cooperate in the deportation of some 7000 Ghanaians from the state.
The US in a statement Friday announced visa sanctions for some category of applicants to their country over what they say is in adequate Ghana support in the deportations.
“Beginning on February 4, 2019, the U.S. Embassy in Ghana will discontinue issuing all non-immigrant visas (NIV) to domestic employees (A3 and G5) of Ghanaian diplomats posted in the United States. It is important to note that A3 and G5 visa applications will be processed, but no visas in these categories will be issued while these restrictions remain in effect. The lack of adjudication does not mean a visa denial. The application will remain pending until the visa restrictions are lifted, at which point, the visa application will continue to be processed for issuance.
“In addition, consular officers will limit the validity period and number of entries on new tourist and business visas (B1, B2, and B1/B2) for all Ghanaian executive and legislative branch employees, their spouses, and their children under 21 to one-month, single-entry visas,” a statement by US statement department said.
Reacting to the development, Ghana foreign affairs ministry said it is, and has been the process of working with the American authorities since it was informed of the marked deportations.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration notes with concern and disappointment the decision of the United States authorities to implement visa sanctions on Ghana for alleged lack of adequate cooperation in accepting Ghanaian nationals who have been ordered removed from the United States.
The Ministry wishes to state that it has always cooperated with the US authorities in the processing and removal of Ghanaian citizens who have been cited for deportation from the US to Ghana. As is the requirement and in accordance with international law, the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC undertakes identification and verification processes to ensure that all persons earmarked for deportation to Ghana are bonafide citizens of Ghana.
“All countries undertake these processes to accept their deported citizens from all over the world and it is not peculiar to Ghana and the US. The identification and verification mechanism has stipulated timelines and procedures which are communicated to the deporting authorities at all times.
It should be noted that as at 8th January, 2019, our Washington Mission had received twenty eight (28) applications from the U.S. Authorities, out of which nineteen (19) had been interviewed by the Embassy and eleven (11) travelling certificates issued for their travel to Ghana. Those outstanding are as a result of doubts on their Ghanaian nationality, ill health and pending litigation in US courts,” the ministry said.
