The Government of Ghana has reacted to threats by the US Government to impose visa sanctions on Ghanaian citizens, if Ghana fails to respect its obligations under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The US government on Wednesday threatened to impose visa restrictions on Ghanaian citizens over government’s failure to issue documents for the deportation of some Ghanaians.
The US Embassy in Accra in a statement said: “In December 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified Ghana as being at risk of non-compliance on removals of those under deportation orders. Since then, the U.S. government has repeatedly engaged the Government of Ghana in both Washington, D.C., and Accra and has urged the government to abide by its international obligations and issue the necessary travel documents so that Ghanaians under deportation orders may depart the United States on commercial flights. If Ghana fails to comply with international obligations regarding the issuance of travel documents, the United States may be forced to begin implementing visa restrictions on Ghana, in accordance with U.S. law”.
A statement issued Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response stated: “In the spirit of cooperation, therefore, the Ghana Missions have the obligation to ensure that the right processes are followed to verify the identities of subjects for deportation, in order to avert challenges with the Ghana Immigration Service upon the arrival of the latter. The Government of Ghana further remains open for engagements with all relevant stakeholders, to ensure that, the issues are resolved in a manner which will be mutually beneficial to both Ghana and the United States of America.”
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