Mr Ablakwa said the decision or understanding to accept West African nationals was purely on humanitarian and Pan-African grounds.

“We are Pan-Africanists and these are our fellow West Africans who are in distress of being detained, being treated shabbily without dignity, and we cannot look on as Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana,” he said.

‘We did not ask for a cent’

Answering questions on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday [Nov 19, 2025] in relation to the US immigration policies towards Ghana, Mr Ablakwa said, “We are saying that Ghana is your home and you can come here.

“In any case, under the ECOWAS protocols, West African nationals do not need visas to travel, and in the spirit of regional integration, they can enter Ghana without visas and stay here for at least 90 days."

“So, Mr Speaker this decision we made was purely on humanitarian grounds and Pan-African grounds, and we did not ask for a cent from Trump’s America,” he said.

Question 

The minister stated this when he answered a question from the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor.

The Damango Member of Parliament (MP) asked that, given the obligations Ghana had taken arising out of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) Ghana had with the United States government, what did Ghana get out of the deal to serve its national interest?

He also sought to know what assessment was conducted on third-party deportees and their potential risk to Ghana’s security and social stability. 

Security collaboration 

Responding, Mr Ablakwa said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs operated strictly within the framework of Ghana's laws and the established inter-agency coordination mechanisms governing the admission of foreign nationals into the country.

In matters involving persons of special status or third party detainees, he said the ministry did not act unilaterally. 

He said instructions were sought from the President of the Republic and Cabinet.

Besides, he said the ministry also worked in close collaboration with the relevant national security and immigration agencies. 

In accordance with established procedures, he said all communications concerning such individuals were received through formal diplomatic channels and duly verified.

On receipt of information, those matters, he said, were immediately referred to the competent security agencies, including the Ministry of the Interior, the National Security Council Secretariat and the Ghana Immigration Service for the required background checks and threat assessments. 

“Mr Speaker, I wish to assure this House that in all matters involving the admission of persons under special circumstances, the requisite security assessments and inter-agency clearances are undertaken by competent authorities. 

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proceeds only on the express directives of the President, the collective advice of these agencies and in full compliance with the procedures governing such engagements,” he said.

Furthermore, he said the government of Ghana had consistently maintained in its engagements with all relevant states and institutions that individuals with criminal records would not be accepted into the country. 

That position, he said, reflected Ghana's unwavering commitment to safeguarding national security and ensuring that all processes involving the admission of foreign nationals complied with domestic law and international obligations.

Enviable track record

Mr Ablakwa indicated that Ghana had a long and respected tradition of providing refuge to persons on humanitarian grounds consistent with our national laws and international humanitarian obligations. 

“Over the decades, the country has received refugees from diverse countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Cote d'Ivoire, and many others, reflecting our enduring commitment to humanitarian principles and regional stability.

“This tradition, Mr Speaker, has over the years also included the reception of individuals admitted under special arrangement such as the well-known case involving the two former Guantanamo Bay detainees resettled in Ghana under an international agreement,” he said.

In all such instances, he said the government had maintained a firm commitment to stringent security assessment, robust inter-agency coordination and continuous monitoring to ensure that national security and public safety were effectively safeguarded.

“Ghana has over the decades maintained our enviable track record as a bastion of peace and stability despite our friendly and our humanitarian posture which is a vindication of the thorough background checks, security assessments and safety protocols we have enforced over the years.

“The ministry continues to work closely with the relevant national security and immigration agencies to ensure that all individuals admitted under such arrangements are handled in strict accordance with established procedures and that Ghana’s security and public safety are upheld at all times,” he said.