The United States has disclosed that it will impose Visa restrictions on Ghana following a row over the deportation of Ghanaians staying illegally in the Country. It accused the West African country of not cooperating in accepting its citizens ordered removed from the United States.
The move, which goes into effect on February 4th, 2019 will also affect government employees and politicians.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “has ordered consular officers in Ghana to implement visa restrictions on certain categories of visa applicants,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement.
“Without an appropriate response from Ghana, the scope of these sanctions may be expanded to a wider population,” the statement said.
“Ghana has failed to live up to its obligations under international law to accept the return of its nationals ordered removed from the United States,” said DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
It said those affected by the ban would include the domestic staff of diplomats posted to the US. "In addition, consular officers will limit the validity period and number of entries on new tourist and business visas (B1, B2, and B1/B2) for all Ghanaian executive and legislative branch employees, their spouses, and their children under 21 to one-month, single entry visas."
Vigil360 gathered that some 7,000 Ghanaians are living illegally in the United States. Washington has vowed that the sanctions would not be lifted until Ghanaian government complies with the directives.
