Minority Demands Parliamentary Ratification of US Deportee Deal Despite Government Pushback

The Minority in Parliament is insisting that Ghana’s deportation agreement with the United States be submitted to Parliament for ratification, arguing that the Constitution requires legislative oversight for such international arrangements.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, September 24, Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, cited Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution to back the Minority’s position. He referenced a Supreme Court ruling which held that even unsigned agreements intended for implementation fall under the article and must be laid before Parliament.

“It is therefore irrelevant whether the agreement is signed, or it is called an agreement, a memorandum of understanding, or an exchange of notes—parliamentary ratification is required for the implementation of any such agreements,” Jinapor stressed.

The deal, which designates Ghana as a receiving point for West African nationals deported from the U.S., has already seen 14 deportees returned, with 40 more expected in the coming days.

However, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has rejected the Minority’s demand, maintaining that the arrangement is merely a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and not a binding treaty.

“I have inherited hundreds of MoUs from the previous administration which were not placed before Parliament,” Ablakwa explained. “If this understanding matures into a full-blown agreement, we shall not hesitate to seek parliamentary ratification.”

The standoff underscores a broader constitutional debate over the limits of executive authority in foreign affairs