Ghana is expecting 40 more deportees from the United States as part of President Donald Trump’s ‘Third-Country deportation’ program.
The West African country is one of 5 African nations who have so far accepted Trump’s deportees with an initial 13 Nigerian nationals and one Gambian national.
Speaking to local media on Wednesday, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the additional individuals will arrive in “the next few days.”
This comes amid controversies surrounding the initial 14 who Ghana says have been repatriated according to their wishes.
However, lawyers of some deportees have told a US court that some deportees remain in the West African country despite the repatriation claims.
“The choice is theirs. For 90 days if they want, they can stay but so far all of them have indicated they want to go back after some time. I can reveal to you we are expecting another 40 in the next few days,” Ablakwa indicated.
The country insists its decision to accept US deportees is not an endorsement of President Trump’s policies but a move to offer Ghana as the “Mecca of Africa.”
“Let’s be clear. We didn’t agree with this because we agree with President Trump’s immigration policies. We are not doing the US a favor; we are doing our fellow Africans a favor.
“We want to position Ghana as that country which has always been the Mecca of Africans,” he added.
The country says it is vetting all deportees before acceptance, indicating its strong disapproval for hardened criminals, convicted criminals, persons associated with terrorism and persons on Interpol wanted list.
For more news, click on the link below:
