The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken proactive measures to address the potential deportation of Ghanaian nationals from the United States of America (USA), following President Donald Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies.

According to the Ministry, “the mood within the Ghanaian community is one of fear and anxiety” as a result of the increased enforcement measures.

Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, emphasised the need for a humane approach to the deportation process, stating that “affected Ghanaians do not have criminal records, and any Ghanaian currently serving a jail term will not be deported until their sentence has been fully served.”

Mr Ablakwa made the remarks on Thursday when he briefed Parliament on the deportation of Ghanaians from the USA.

Upon assuming the office of President of the USA, President Donald Trump instituted several executive actions, including Executive Order on deportation.

Central to President Trump’s immigration agenda was his firm commitment to carrying out mass deportations of individuals living in the USA without legal status.

This initiative primarily targeted those who either entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas.

Meanwhile, as of Saturday, February 23, 2025, the USA had implemented significant changes to its immigration policies, leading to profound consequences for migrant communities.

These changes had resulted in mass deportations of undocumented migrants and heightened enforcement measures along the Southern border with Mexico.

“Mr. Speaker, initially, the deportation efforts under the Trump administration prioritised undocumented immigrants and non-citizen residents with serious criminal records.

“However, reports indicate that individuals without criminal histories, those with final deportation orders, individuals with expired visas, and even recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) have also been subject to deportation,” he said.

According to data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), approximately 37,660 individuals were deported in January 2025, no Ghanaians were included. However, 94 Ghanaians were deported from the USA in 2024, Mr Ablakwa noted.

“Mr. Speaker, the ongoing raids by ICE and reports of mass deportations had fostered a climate of fear and uncertainty within migrant communities,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

Mr Ablakwa told Parliament that the Ministry had engaged with various stakeholders, including the US Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Virginia E. Palmer,

to ensure that the deportation process was carried out in a fair and humane manner.

Additionally, he said: “Mr. Speaker, the Ministry is working with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to provide support for reintegrating deported nationals into Ghanaian society.”

As the situation continues to unfold, Mr Ablakwa said the Ministry remained committed to monitoring developments and providing necessary support to affected Ghanaian nationals.

It is reported that 50 out of 150 individuals had received final deportation orders from the court.

Their deportation is expected to take place by mid-year while the remaining 100 cases are either under appeal or had been dismissed, Mr Ablakwa told Parliament.

“Mr. Speaker, representations were made to the US authorities on behalf of one Ghanaian on the grounds of ill health, and he has since been released to seek medical care,” the sector minister said.

Mr Ablakwa noted that to further bolster deportation efforts, President Trump signed a memorandum on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, directing the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to expand the migrant operations center at Guantanamo Bay.

He explained that this expansion would facilitate the temporary housing of up to 30,000 undocumented immigrants.

“Mr. Speaker, following this directive, 178 Venezuelan migrants were transferred to the facility and subsequently deported to Honduras, from where they were repatriated to Venezuela. As of now, no Ghanaian nationals are reportedly detained at this facility,” he said.

Source: GNA

The post Ghana prepares for potential deportation of nationals from US amid Trump’s immigration crackdown appeared first on Ghana Business News.

The government is in the process of setting up a national airline, President John Dramani Mahama, has hinted.

The President made the disclosure during the credential ceremony to receive letters of credence from Dr Abdulla Muraid Sulaiman Mohammed Al Mandoos, Ambassador of the UAE to Ghana, at the Presidency in Accra.

President Mahama noted that when the time of the expression of interest from countries, who had established a commitment and technical knowledge comes, Ghana would consider partnering the UAE in setting up a national airline.

“And so, when we get to that stage, I know that apart from Emirates, like Dubai and several other companies, if they’re interested in partnering with Ghana, to take advantage of Ghana as an aviation hub, we’ll be willing to work with the UAE,” the President said.

He recalled that when Ghana Airways started the routes from Accra to Dubai, there was a small number of people who used to go to the UAE.

“Today we have daily flights with Emirates between Accra and Dubai. And we appreciate that very much.”

President Mahama, who encouraged more investments from the Gulf countries into Ghana, also noted that there were many opportunities that Ghana had in different sectors.

He said they had already seen some investors come to Ghana, citing that the initial one had been between Abu Dhabi and the Volta River Authority, which led to the establishment of the Takoradi Thermal power plant (TICO), which was still running and providing electric power for Ghana.

He said they had been in discussion to see how they could widen cooperation in many other areas in Ghana.

He said one of the major exports from Ghana to the UAE was gold and that the Government of Ghana was looking to see how they could formalize the trade in gold.

The President said Ghana was in the process of setting up what they call the Gold Board, which would enable them formalize and officially export gold to their friendly countries that were interested in purchasing the commodity from Ghana; so that they remove a lot of the non-transparency around the gold trade. Adding that Ghana would be in close discussions with the UAE on that.

President Mahama said apart from that, there were several Ghanaians working in the UAE, a lot of whom go there under informal agreements and that the Government of Ghana was trying to set up the Ghana Labour Export programme, where they would train their young people to international proficiency in electrical engineering, carpentry, masonry, welding, construction, and all the other areas.

This, he said was to send them under a more formal agreement, than the way they go currently.

“Sometimes they run into trouble when they go to the UAE. So, we want to see how we can formalize that agreement so that when they go, they go legally and have all the protection they need from the UAE government,” he said.

Touching on diplomacy, President Mahama said Ghana set up a consulate in 2011, which has been operating quite well and then they also set up an Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2017.

He said the Ghana-UAE relation was working very well; stating that the Abu Dhabi Mission had oversight of several other countries, who were considering strengthening it.

With regards to climate change, President Mahama expressed gratitude to the UAE for the climate change facility that was given to Ghana to reinforce resilience of climate change in the communities.

He said the UAE gave Ghana an amount of $30 million last September to fight climate change and that Ghana was in the process of utilizing that fund to support communities that were affected by climate change.

“We know that Africa has contributed the least to climate change but is suffering with adversity from the effects of climate change,” the President said.

“And so, when friendly countries like the UAE come around to help us with our petition, it is something that we appreciate.”

The President said Ghana would also like to cooperate in the fight against terrorism; saying “terrorism is a threat to everyone in the world”.

He said the West Africa subregion currently had become a major threat for terrorists and jihadist groups.

He said the collapse of the regime of the late President Muammar Gaddafi of Libya brought a lot of violence into the Sahel and when ISIS was defeated in Syria and other places, a lot of ISIS fighters found a safe haven in the Sahel.

President Mahama said currently they were involved in different attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

He reiterated the need for international cooperation against terrorism in the affected countries.

On his part, Dr Abdulla Muraid Sulaiman Mohammed Al Mandoos, the Ambassador of the UAE to Ghana, called for the strengthening bilateral relations between the UAE and Ghana.

Source: GNA

The post President hints of establishing national airline appeared first on Ghana Business News.

The government is ready to facilitate the processing of passports for groups, associations or organisations that intend to travel in order to minimise frustrations due to cumbersome processes and avoid disappointments.

It would also commence a courier service to deliver passports to citizens after application, to prevent adding up to the backlog of uncollected booklets at the passport offices.

Mr Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, disclosed this at a news briefing at the Hajj Village in Accra on Tuesday, where the government had set up a satellite passport registration centre for the 2025 Pilgrims.

The centre, with other branches across the country, was to process passports for Muslims ready to embark on this year’s Hajj within a maximum of three-working days at the same or standardised fee of GH¢500.00.

Mr Ablakwa said groups which desired such mobile services should apply to the Ministry and they would be granted.

He noted that the step was to demystify passport application and enhance processing, while cutting out frustration and stress.

It is also to ensure that all accessed passports are not compromised on quality and security.

“We will ensure that people cannot come for multiple passports under the same names,” he added.

Source: GNA

The post Ghana government to facilitate bulk processing of passport for groups – Ablakwa appeared first on Ghana Business News.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has issued an advisory informing Ghanaians traveling to and from Russia about an upcoming biometric data collection experiment at Russian entry and exit points.

According to the Ministry, the experiment is set to run in two phases from December 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, and will focus on foreign nationals and stateless persons entering Russia.

The initial phase, currently underway, is being conducted at select locations, including Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo airports in Moscow, as well as the Mashtakovo road checkpoints in the Orenburg region.

A nationwide rollout is scheduled from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2026, a statement signed Ms. Baaba Effirim-Williams, Director of Information and Public Affairs Bureau, and copied to the GNA said.

Diplomatic staff, employees of international organizations, holders of diplomatic and service passports, and foreign citizens under six years of age are exempt from the experiment, the Ministry noted.

It further urged Ghanaians to take note of the development for their future travels to Russia.

Source: GNA

The post Ghanaians travelling to Russia to undergo biometric screening – Ministry appeared first on Ghana Business News.

President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to economic diplomacy and streamlined passport services.  

This is part of his administration’s broader vision to reset the country’s economy and improve service delivery to Ghanaians.  

In his State of the Nation Address to Parliament on Thursday, President Mahama outlined measures to leverage Ghana’s diplomatic engagements for economic transformation.   

He announced the establishment of a new blueprint and delivery unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which would introduce clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure that foreign engagements yield tangible benefits.  

“Ghana is open for business. Our policy on economic diplomacy focuses on export diversification, foreign investment, and job creation,” President Mahama stated,  

He emphasized the country’s commitment to strengthening trade relations and attracting strategic partnerships.  

The new economic diplomacy strategy aims to position Ghana as a key player in regional and global trade while prioritizing investment-driven bilateral agreements.   

This initiative aligns with Ghana’s active participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and efforts to enhance economic cooperation with international partners.  

In a bid to enhance public service delivery, President Mahama also announced a major reform at the Passport Office to expedite passport application processing.   

The government, he said, planned to expand passport application centres nationwide and implement measures to reduce processing times to just seven days.  

“These comprehensive reforms at the Passport Office will align with the vision of a 24-hour economy, ensuring efficiency and timely service delivery,” the President stated.   

The move, he noted, was expected to address longstanding concerns over delays and inefficiencies in passport acquisition, which had often led to frustration among applicants.   

The reforms will incorporate digitalization and enhanced security features to improve the integrity of Ghanaian passports while making them more accessible to citizens across the country, President Mahama said.   

Source: GNA  

The post Ghana to strengthen economic diplomacy, reform passport services – Mahama    appeared first on Ghana Business News.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has engaged Embassies and High Commissions on the numerous complaints by the public, on how Ghanaian citizens are treated when they visit Foreign Missions in Accra for visa applications.

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, copied to the Ghana News Agency said the complaints cover issues such as, not providing conducive waiting areas, non-availability of emergency services, long waiting times for appointment dates as well as challenges in using visa application websites.

“To address these concerns, the Ministry has dispatched a Note Verbale to all Embassies and High Commissions urging them to put in place appropriate and humane conditions at their Embassies, High Commissions and visa centres,” the statement said.

“It is the Ministry’s expectation that Foreign Missions will respond positively and appropriately to the request.”

The statement said the Ministry would continue to take steps to ensure that the Embassies and High Commissions comply with the directives therein stated in the Note Verbale, while acknowledging that Embassies and High Commissions reserve the right to determine who they issue visas to.

It said the Ministry   assured the public of its commitment to addressing the concerns of Ghanaian visa applicants.

Source: GNA

The post Foreign Ministry engages Embassies over poor conditions for Ghanaian visa applicants appeared first on Ghana Business News.

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has been ordered to pay GH¢960,000 in damages and cost to a Ghanaian resident in Germany. 

This was after an Accra High Court entered judgement in favour of Mr Kwabena Baffour Asare, the plaintiff. 

The plaintiff was prevented by the GIS from returning to Germany to commence work after burying his mother in Ghana in 2022. 

He was mistakenly detained by GIS officials as one “Kwabena Asare” who the Ghana Police had declared wanted for a crime-related offence in Ghana. 

Billed to travel to Germany on June 18, 2022, GIS officials prevented the plaintiff from travelling.  

Later he was transferred to the custody of the Ghana Police Service at Adenta in Accra. 

However, police investigations revealed that he was not the one declared wanted, and so he was released. 

Although the plaintiff obtained an extract from the police and on his second attempt to fly to Germany, he was stopped again. 

GIS officials finally allowed him to go through departure formalities on June 20, 2022, by which time the plaintiff had lost his job. 

He hauled the GIS to court (General Jurisdiction Court 12) for breaching his fundamental rights and for acting unlawfully and unfairly. 

Joined to the suit was the Attorney General. 

The trial judge, Justice Ayitey Armah-Tetteh, held that although the plaintiff had presented police clearance to GIS officials for the second time, the extract was not honoured. 

The court held that the plaintiff’s right to movement had indeed been violated and curtailed and the GIS was liable to compensate him for the restrictions imposed.  

The GIS, in its defence, said the Ghana Police Service failed to attach the supposed wanted person’s picture. 

It explained that the plaintiff was identified as 94 per cent similar match to the one wanted, who was also known as Baffour Asare. 

GIS denied that officials were negligent and that on June 20, 2022, after receiving information clearing the plaintiff, they gave him clearance to travel to Germany.   

The plaintiff, Kwabena Baffour Asare, is a Ghanaian resident in Berlin, Germany. 

His case was that he came to Ghana in May 2022 to organise his mother’s funeral and decided to return on June 17, 2022. 

When he got to the Kotoka International Airport and had gone through all pre-boarding procedures and was preparing to board his flight, he was prevented by the GIS officials for being on their “Wanted Persons List”. 

According to the plaintiff he was detained and in the early hours of June 18, 2022, handed over to the police at Adentan where his statement was taken. 

Plaintiff said the police subsequently released him after it was detected that he was not the wanted person. 

In the evening of June 18, 2022, while going through departure formalities he was stopped for the second time for the same reasons. 

It was on June 20, 2022 that the plaintiff was allowed to travel. 

He said he considered the GIS officials acted “negligently, unlawfully, and unfairly” and that his rights had been abused. 

He, therefore, proceeded to court to seek redress. 

Source: GNA 

The post Court orders Ghana Immigration to pay GH¢960,000 for mistakenly detaining traveler  appeared first on Ghana Business News.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is starting to map its air corridor and regulatory framework development for piloted and autonomous air taxis and cargo drones.

A press release copied to Ghana Business News, says the initiative marks a major leap forward in the nation’s mission to lead the future of mobility.

“Through a strategic partnership between the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Advanced Technology Research Council entities—Technology Innovation Institute and ASPIRE—the UAE is on track to reshape the way people and goods move through urban spaces,” the release said.

According to the release, the aerial corridors and regulations will be defined within the next 20 months, noting that the effort demonstrates the UAE’s unwavering commitment to deploying safe, advanced, sustainable transportation solutions that will not only ease congestion but also set a global benchmark for future urban mobility systems.

It added that the routes will connect key international airports and iconic places in the UAE, extending further to ensure seamless integration of piloted and autonomous air taxis and cargo drones across the nation’s urban landscapes.

By Emmanuel K Dogbevi

The post UAE set to map air corridors for air taxis and cargo drones appeared first on Ghana Business News.

To boost efficiency and reduce waiting times, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced plans to transform the passport office into a 24-hour operation.

Speaking at the passport headquarters in Accra, Mr Ablakwa emphasised that applicants should receive their passports within a week of application, a key goal of the reform.

“We want the passport administration in our country to become a 24-hour operation. This year, you need to stand and get ready, prepare yourselves. We are going to run three shifts. We want to cut down on the waiting time for passports,” Ablakwa said after a tour of the place.

“We believe that within a week, it should be possible to get a Ghanaian passport when you apply for it. The 24-hour economy intervention we are making will address that,” he noted.

The move is part of the government’s 24-hour economy initiative, which aims to create jobs and improve public service efficiency.

To support this initiative, the government plans to expand storage facilities, data centers, and public amenities at the passport headquarters.

Mr Ablakwa also revealed plans to introduce chip-embedded passports and integrate passport data with the National Identification Authority system to streamline applicant verification. Additionally, he told the media that efforts were underway to revise passport fees, reducing costs for ordinary applicants while increasing fees for premium services.

“The announcement is a significant step towards modernising Ghana’s administrative services and reinforcing the country’s commitment to a more efficient, tech-driven, and accessible public sector,” he said.

Source: GNA

The post Ghana passport office to run 24-hour operation appeared first on Ghana Business News.

Professor Kobby Mensah, the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Tourism Development Company Limited (GTDC), has called for a structured approach to valuing Ghana’s cultural assets, including cocoa, folklore, festivals, and artifacts.  

He argued that while Ghana had benefited from cocoa’s economic contributions, it lacked formal recognition of its cultural and historical worth. 

A statement issued by Prof. Mensah and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Monday, proposed a formula to determine the value of a cocoa bean, summarised as the Sum of Total Use of Cocoa (STU), the Sum of the Total Use of Cocoa, denoting the number of years cocoa had existed, and number of years projecting its future existence.  

“… This formula aims to provide a quantifiable basis for assessing cocoa’s significance beyond its market price,” it said. 

“… Cocoa is more than just an economic product—it is deeply woven into the cultural and historical fabric of the country.”  

The statement commended the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts and the Ghana Tourism Authority for promoting cocoa as a valuable cultural asset through the National Chocolate Week celebration. 

It explained that the GTDC’s strategic vision under Prof Mensah’s leadership would focus on four key investment and development strands. 

These are; Investment in Tourism Physical Infrastructure, Developing world-class tourism sites and facilities; Investment in Human Capital, Strengthening capacity building within the tourism sector; Investment in Cultural Assets, Promoting and preserving Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, and Investment in Technology and Innovation, Leveraging digital transformation to enhance tourism experiences. 

The National Chocolate Week initiative aimed to increase local consumption of cocoa products, highlighting Ghana’s leadership in the global cocoa industry, and creating new economic opportunities for local businesses.  

It said: “By linking tourism with cocoa promotion, Ghana seeks to strengthen its brand identity on the global stage.” 

Prof Mensah’s advocacy for a structured valuation of Ghana’s cultural assets aligned with national and global conversations on heritage conservation and sustainable tourism.  

As Ghana innovates in tourism and cultural preservation, industry leaders and policymakers are calling for strategic approaches to ensure the country’s heritage assets are preserved and maximised for long-term socio-economic benefits, the statement noted. 

Source: GNA 

The post Ghana must value cultural assets beyond economic worth – Prof Mensah  appeared first on Ghana Business News.