The Minority Caucus on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament has taken a strong stance against the government’s recent agreement with the United States, which designates Ghana as a receiving location for West African nationals deported from America.
During a media event at Jubilee House on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama announced that Ghana has received 14 deportees, including individuals from Nigeria and one from Gambia, as part of this U.S. agreement.
In his clarification, he noted that Ghana has no objection to accepting citizens from fellow ECOWAS member states under the Protocol on Free Movement, allowing West African nationals to enter and reside in other member countries for up to 90 days without a visa.
On September 12, a statement signed by the Committee’s Ranking Member, Samuel A. Jinapor, revealed that the Minority views this action as a “grave constitutional breach” and an affront to Ghana’s sovereignty and foreign policy.
“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,” Mr. Jinapor stated.
The caucus also referenced the controversial decision made by the Mahama administration in 2016 that allowed two Yemeni terror suspects from Guantanamo Bay to enter Ghana without parliamentary approval, a move that was later ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
“Beyond this blatant constitutional breach, the agreement raises pressing concerns of sovereignty, security, and policy,” the statement warned.
Furthermore, the Minority stressed that this arrangement could undermine Ghana’s long-standing principles of foreign policy.
“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,” the statement added.
The caucus has demanded the immediate suspension of the agreement until it can be presented to Parliament for examination and ratification.
“We demand that government provides full clarity on when this agreement was reached, the safeguards in place, and the broader implications of receiving these deportees. No future agreements of this nature must ever be implemented without prior parliamentary approval,” Mr. Jinapor insisted.
