Minority Caucus slams government over alleged US deportee agreement

The Minority Caucus on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament has criticised the government over an alleged agreement with the United States that designates Ghana as a receiving point for West African nationals deported from America.

Reports suggest that 14 deportees have already been admitted into the country under the arrangement.

In a statement signed by Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ranking Member of the Committee, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, the Minority described the move as a “grave constitutional breach” and a “direct affront to Ghana’s sovereignty and foreign policy.”

The statement cited Article 75 of the Constitution, which requires that any treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the authority of the President be laid before Parliament and ratified. “It is surprising that this government has chosen to ignore this constitutional requirement,” it stressed.

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The Minority drew parallels with the controversial 2016 case in which the Mahama administration admitted two Yemeni terror suspects from Guantanamo Bay without parliamentary approval — a decision later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

“Beyond this blatant constitutional breach, the agreement raises pressing concerns of sovereignty, security, and policy,” the statement warned.

It further argued that the arrangement risked undermining Ghana’s foreign policy principles. “Ghana has built a proud reputation for principled diplomacy rooted in non-alignment, regional solidarity, and respect for human rights. To associate Ghana with the United States’ harsh immigration enforcement regime could damage our international standing,” it added.

The Minority, therefore, called for the immediate suspension of the agreement until it is formally laid before Parliament for ratification.

“We demand that the government provide full clarity on when this agreement was reached, the safeguards in place, and the broader implications of receiving these deportees. No future agreements of such nature must ever be implemented without prior parliamentary approval,” the statement concluded.

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