Ghana has opened its arms to West African nationals deported from the United States, including Nigerians, under a new arrangement with Washington.
President John Dramani Mahama confirmed the development on recently, disclosing that the first batch of 14 deportees—comprising Nigerians, a Gambian, and others—had already arrived in Accra. Ghanaian authorities are now facilitating their return to their respective countries.
“We were approached by the U.S. to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the U.S., and we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable because all our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to come to our country,” Mahama said.
He justified the decision by pointing out that citizens of the sub-region enjoy visa-free entry into Ghana under ECOWAS protocols.
The arrangement comes against the backdrop of Washington’s intensified deportation campaign under President Donald Trump, who has pressed for the removal of migrants to “third countries” as part of his hardline immigration policy.
