Minority criticises government over alleged US deportee deal, calls it unconstitutional

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

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

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

It said: “Article 75 of our Constitution is clear that any treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the authority of the President must be laid before Parliament and ratified. It is surprising that this government has chosen to ignore this constitutional requirement.”

The statement 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 ruled as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

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

The statement further argued that the arrangement risked undermining Ghana’s long-standing foreign policy principles, adding that “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 noted.

It therefore called for the immediate suspension of the agreement until it had been 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.”

The statement said no future agreements of such nature must ever be implemented without prior parliamentary approval.

By Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA