Ablakwa defends government’s acceptance of African deportees from the U.S., says MoU is humanitarian and non-binding

Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has defended the government’s decision to accept African nationals deported from the United States, insisting the arrangement is purely humanitarian and does not constitute a binding agreement. Ghana has so far received 54 deportees, 14 in the first batch and another 40 in the second.

Responding to an urgent question in Parliament on Wednesday, November 19, the Minister explained that the framework guiding the process is a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which does not require parliamentary ratification. He stressed that such MoUs are routine diplomatic instruments.

“Mr Speaker, if you look at the work we do at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, on a daily basis, we could sign about 50 MoUs. If we were to bring MoUs to Parliament, it would be impractical,” he said.

The question was filed by Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Damango, who sought clarification on how many Ghanaians had been affected by U.S. Executive Order 14159, titled Protecting the American People Against Invasion, and what measures were in place to ensure their safety.

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Mr Ablakwa stressed that Ghana’s acceptance of the affected Africans was consistent with long-standing humanitarian commitments within the sub-region and did not infringe on the country’s sovereignty. He cautioned that misinterpretations could hinder Ghana’s diplomatic operations.

“Mr Speaker, our foreign policy will grind to a halt, and we will not be able to function. As such, we should be guided in our public discussions,” he said.

The Minority, however, has criticised the decision, arguing that Parliament should have scrutinised and approved the arrangement.

In addition, citizen activist Mr Oliver Barker-Vormawor has filed a lawsuit challenging the government, claiming the deportees could face risks if returned to their home countries.