BY Daniel Bampoe
The Institute of Political Studies (IPS-Ghana) has strongly criticized Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, accusing him of misleading the public on the controversial Ghana–United States deportation arrangement that has seen West African nationals forcibly relocated to Ghana.
The think tank, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 18, 2025, described Okudzeto Ablakwa’s recent explanation on Channel One TV’s The Point of View program as “a grand deception,” arguing that the government has already committed Ghana to a binding international agreement without seeking the constitutionally required approval of Parliament.
Ablakwa’s Defence
During the interview, the Foreign Minister insisted that the deportation arrangement between the Ghanaian government and the Trump administration was “merely a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),” stressing that the document would only be presented to Parliament once it matured into a full agreement.
However, IPS-Ghana contends that this claim is misleading since deportations under the deal are already underway.
“Once Ghana began receiving deportees, the so-called MoU ceased to be an informal understanding and became a binding agreement in practice,” the statement read.
Constitutional Breach Alleged
IPS-Ghana referenced Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution, which requires that all treaties, agreements, or conventions executed by the President must receive parliamentary ratification before they can take effect.
By bypassing Parliament, the institute argues, the government has violated constitutional provisions.
The think tank further cited the landmark 2017 Banful v. Attorney-General case, popularly known as the “Gitmo 2” ruling, in which the Supreme Court held that the Mahama administration’s decision to host two Guantanamo Bay detainees was unconstitutional because Parliament was not consulted.
“It is shocking that Mr. Ablakwa, who was in Parliament when the Supreme Court delivered that judgment, now pretends not to understand the legal and constitutional requirements for such international agreements,” the IPS statement noted.
Charge of Double Standards
IPS-Ghana also accused Ablakwa of hypocrisy, pointing out that when he was in opposition, he was one of the most vocal critics of government secrecy and unconstitutional practices.
According to the institute, if a similar deportation arrangement had been implemented by a New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, Ablakwa would have condemned it as illegal and dishonest.
“This is not ignorance. This is deliberate dishonesty,” IPS declared. “His defence is not only false but also insulting to the intelligence of Ghanaians.”
Call for Transparency
The institute has called on the government to immediately lay the full text of the deportation agreement before Parliament for scrutiny and ratification.
IPS further demanded that the Foreign Minister apologise to the Ghanaian public for what it described as a deliberate attempt to mislead citizens through “half-truths and legal gymnastics.”
“Ghanaians deserve honesty, transparency, and respect for the Constitution — not spin and deception,” the statement concluded.
Background to the Controversy
The deportation arrangement, reached under the Trump administration, involves the transfer of undocumented West African migrants, some of whom are not Ghanaian, into Ghanaian custody.
The policy has triggered public debate, with critics questioning why Ghana should bear responsibility for non-citizens and warning of potential security and economic implications.
