General News of Thursday, 13 July 2017
Source: citifmonline.com
2017-07-13
Minister for Foreign Affairs , Shirley Ayorkor
National Security has been tasked to probe allegations of maltreatment meted out to some 63 Ghanaians who were recently deported.
There have been reports that the deportees were handcuffed and forced on board the plane to Ghana.
Though the US Embassy has dismissed the allegation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is insisting investigations should be conducted to establish the truth.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs , Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey told Citi News’ Duke Mensah Opoku this has become necessary due to conflicting reports received from the deportees and the US Embassy on the treatment on board the chartered flight to Ghana.
“So far, we do not have any concrete evidence through pictures or any other way to determine that indeed this happened. It is something that the National Security is looking into but as a Ministry we are not seized with doing investigations of that nature.
Very soon , in a month or so we will have a physical presence in Kuwait and we can take it up but so far I have had meetings with the Foreign Missions here and I have complained and expressed government’s displeasure and concern about the way our nationals are being treated.
I have had a meeting with the Ambassadors so they are aware we are not happy with them. It is not just Qatar but also all the other gulf states.”
The Minister also pledged government’s commitment to ensuring that Ghanaian citizens are “safe and protected as their rights are respected.”
In November 2016, 108 Ghanaians were also deported. It is unclear if the recent deportation is as a result of the immigration policy of current US President Donald Trump.
Robert Jackson has said that the US is open to receive Ghanaians who enter the country and reside legally.
He said tens of thousands of Ghanaians are currently in the US working legally and face no threat of deportation.
