US to deport 7000 Ghanaians – Ambassador

The Trump administration in America is set to deport seven thousand Ghanaians who have abused the terms of their Visas.

The Ghanaians are currently at different stages of the deportation process, the US ambassador to Ghana Robert Jackson has revealed.

“In fact about 7000 of them are currently at different stages of the deportation process. And we are not apologetic about that,” he told the Ghanaian media in the Brong Ahafo region Thursday.

The disclosure comes barely 24hours after the UK High Commission in Ghana fingered three sitting members of Ghana’s parliament and a former one for breaching UK visa policies.

They are Richard Acheampong, NDC MP for Bia East in the Western region NDC, Joseph Benhazin Dahah, NPP MP for Ntotroso in the Bono Ahafo region, Johnson Kwaku Adu, NPP MP for Ahafo Ano South West in the Ashanti region and George Boakye, former MP for Asunafo South in the Bono Ahafo region.

The four, according to the commission, have used their diplomatic passports to secure visas for persons who travelled to the UK and never returned. In a letter dated January 20, 2017 to the Speaker of Parliament Mike Oquaye Mr Benjamin said: “The British High Commission considers the actions [of the MPs] completely unacceptable. In some cases these behaviours may arguably be criminal in nature.”

But commenting on the development Wednesday on Starr Chat, Mr Osei Owusu who is also the chairman of the Appointments Committee of parliament said: “I think that the High Commissioner in so many instances has acted in a way that in my view transcends the bounds of decency and propriety.”

According to him, the High commissioner’s letter to parliament was unnecessary as “these are personal travel arrangements. I believe strongly that if any of them took the matter up to appeal, some of those things may be overturned.”