COVID-19: Ghanaian Deportees From USA Still Stuck Due To Travel Restrictions – Foreign Affairs Minister

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

Government's inability to complete the processing of emergency travel certificates for the deportation of illegal Ghanaian migrants in the United States of America to the country is as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

Responding to a question on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, the sector Minister for Foreign Affairs indicated that 125 deportees were safely evacuated from the USA as part of arrangements that led to the lifting of the visa ban imposed on Ghana in 2019 before coronavirus.

However, 22 people are currently going through interviews, awaiting deportation when Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted in pursuit of the agreement.

“A total of five meeting sections were held between May and December 2019. Till the lifting of the sanctions on January 15, 2020.

“During the period of sanction, 125 Ghanaians who had been ordered to be removed from the US were deported. Currently, interviews for persons cited for deportation are ongoing an agreed upon by the two sides. However, in the wake of Covid-19 the issuance of emergency travel certificates to facilitate their removal has been deferred until boarders are reopened,” she stated.

Madam Botchway further pledged her outfit together with the US embassy are following all the international protocols to evacuate the remaining deportees.

“It is important to state that whenever there was a need for specific intervention on humanitarian ground, be it, health or family, it was done by engaging the relevant US authority.”