The Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that 156 Ghanaians are currently facing imminent deportation from the United States. Speaking during his vetting before the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Ablakwa dismissed earlier claims of a mass deportation of over 6,000 Ghanaians under U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, citing official communication from U.S. authorities.
“Currently, the official communication the ministry has received from Washington is 156, not 6,200. 156 imminent deportation,” he stated. He further disclosed that approximately 40 of these individuals have been identified for expedited removal, adding, “Those people expedited to be deported, it is clear that President Trump is really serious about this executive order.”
Since President Trump’s inauguration on January 20, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested over 3,500 unauthorized immigrants across the country. The administration has also initiated deportation flights, utilizing U.S. military aircraft to transport migrants to their countries of origin or third nations. Ablakwa stressed the importance of Ghana’s diplomatic missions providing necessary support to affected citizens, urging a strategic approach in handling the situation.
“The strategy that we should deploy as a country is to ensure that our missions abroad extend consular services to all of these persons. They are our compatriots, we must be concerned about their welfare,” he stated. He further emphasized the need for legal assistance and the establishment of a consular fund to support Ghanaians facing deportation.
“If we have to give them legal assistance, that’s why I talked about the consular fund. We need to quickly populate that fund, and I’m happy that the distinguished Minister of Finance is here. As we work on the 2025 budget, it is a line item I would really be appealing to his ministry to approve, so that we would have a consular fund for the first time. That fund will be available for legal support and consular assistance.”
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring the humane treatment of affected citizens, Ablakwa assured that Ghana would not abandon its nationals.
“Let’s do our best so that if they have a case to remain in those countries, and then if they have to be received by us, it is also done in a humane way that respects their rights. So, we are not going to leave them there to struggle on their own. We will let them feel and know that the government of Ghana, the people of Ghana care about their plight and that we are doing our best to extend to them consular assistance.”
By: Kweku Zurek
