Speaking on JoyNews’ Up Front on Wednesday, Madam Karikari said the lack of clarity about the deportees’ backgrounds raises serious concerns.

“We do not know the background of these deportees, or even if we do, we haven’t really examined it closely. Are they criminals? Do they have jobs? What exactly are these deportees coming to Ghana for?” she questioned.

She cautioned that Ghana could face lawsuits from deportees over human rights violations, which could damage the country’s foreign policy image and international reputation.

Madam Karikari also noted that the deportees may compete with locals for jobs, putting additional strain on the economy, while facing challenges integrating into Ghanaian society.

She added that reactions in the United States have been mixed. Some Ghanaians welcome the return, citing family ties and the comfort of home, while others are unsettled, particularly those who have established families and livelihoods in the U.S.

While Ghana is regarded as a peaceful and safe country, Madam Karikari stressed that hosting deportees must be carefully managed.

“Ghana could face legal actions from the deportees, and that wouldn’t be a good look for our foreign policy and international reputation. We also need to consider the economic strain on Ghanaians, as they will now be competing with these deportees for jobs. Then there’s cultural adjustment and integration into Ghanaian society. All these are valid concerns that the government should address,” she said.

The Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, had earlier revealed that 40 deportees are expected from the U.S. in the coming weeks.

His disclosure follows Minority criticism of the government’s earlier acceptance of 14 deportees, with accusations that officials bypassed parliamentary approval. The government, however, maintains that the arrangement is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the U.S., which does not require ratification.

Source: Prince Adu Owusu

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Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, the legislator argued that his South Tongue counterpart’s handling of the matter shows a worrying lack of depth.

“In my humble opinion, I think the minister has taken a very simplistic view of this matter, and it is quite worrying,” the lawyer said.

“If you like, very respectfully, if I may take the liberty to state that it exposes him in terms of his appreciation of the office he holds, and the issues that are supposed to be dealt with by the office, particularly within the context of the constitution of this country and the security and safety of its people.”

Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah insisted that the issue cannot be taken lightly.

“For us to appreciate what we are dealing with, we need to begin from the basis upon which the US is taking the current action of deporting people from different countries,” he stated.

His comments come after Mr Ablakwa confirmed that Cabinet has approved Ghana’s participation in a third-country deportation arrangement with the US.

The deal, announced on September 15 at the Government Accountability Series, involves Ghana accepting some West African deportees.

Mr Ablakwa stressed at the time that the arrangement is not a binding treaty but a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

He also assured the public that Ghana would conduct independent background checks to ensure no threats are admitted into the country.

Despite these assurances, the Manhyia South MP believes the minister has underestimated the gravity of the situation and the risks it poses.

Source: Abubakar Ibrahim

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Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the caucus argued that the arrangement breaches Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution and undermines Ghana’s sovereignty.

Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ranking Member of the Committee, cited Supreme Court rulings, including Banful v Attorney-General, which state that all international agreements, including memoranda of understanding and diplomatic notes, require parliamentary ratification.

“The government’s conduct in operationalising this agreement without parliamentary ratification is a direct constitutional violation of Article 75 and an affront to the authority of the Supreme Court,” he said.

The caucus drew parallels to 2016 when the Mahama administration accepted two Guantanamo Bay detainees without parliamentary approval, questioning why the current government would repeat a similar action.

They further revealed that some of the deportees are being held in detention centres against their will and have taken legal action against the government for alleged breaches of their fundamental human rights.

“Despite these concerns, we are told that some 40 more people are due to arrive in the country pursuant to this same unconstitutional agreement,” Hon. Jinapor added.

The Minority demanded an immediate suspension of the arrangement until Parliament has exercised its constitutional mandate.

“We urge government to provide full clarity on the processes, safeguards, and implications associated with receiving these deportees, including measures to protect Ghana’s security interests,” the caucus stressed.

Source: Ernest Arhinful

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