Jinapor Welcomes Clarification on U.S. Deportee Deal, Calls for Transparency

Samuel Abu Jinapor, MP for Damongo and Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has welcomed the clarification provided by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on reports surrounding a U.S.–Ghana deportee agreement. Jinapor, however, urged full transparency and parliamentary oversight to safeguard Ghana’s sovereignty.

Clarification Brings Calm Over Deportee Controversy

The Damongo MP and former Lands and Natural Resources Minister described the Foreign Minister’s explanation as “a major relief and a welcome development.”
He noted that Ablakwa’s statement helped dispel confusion and public anxiety after reports surfaced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security intended to deport a Salvadoran national, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to Ghana.

Ablakwa clarified that Ghana had not agreed to accept Garcia and that the existing arrangement only applied to non-criminal West Africans on humanitarian grounds in the spirit of African solidarity.

Call for Transparency and Parliamentary Oversight

While commending the swift clarification, Jinapor stressed that all international agreements must undergo parliamentary scrutiny as required by Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution.

“The constitutional requirement that such agreements be laid before Parliament is intended to safeguard our sovereignty and ensure accountability,”
he stated.

He further called on the government to lay the agreement before Parliament when the House reconvenes on October 21, 2025, for formal ratification.

Ensuring Accountability in Foreign Policy

Jinapor noted that transparency and adherence to constitutional processes would “restore public confidence and strengthen democratic governance.”

His statement has been welcomed by sections of the public and civil society groups who have long advocated for parliamentary oversight in foreign policy matters involving national security and human rights.

The debate underscores growing public concern over how Ghana engages in international agreements that may affect its sovereignty, image, and humanitarian commitments.

Ensuring parliamentary approval helps prevent potential diplomatic misunderstandings and reinforces Ghana’s rule-of-law credentials on the global stage.