A group of eleven individuals recently deported from the US has filed a lawsuit against the Ghanaian government, contesting their detention upon arrival in the country.
Their legal representative is calling for their immediate appearance in court and questioning the grounds for their continued custody.
Ghana had previously agreed to accept Nigerians and other West African nationals deported from the United States under a bilateral arrangement aimed at managing undocumented migration
According to a report by BBC News, the lawyer representing the group, Oliver-Barker Vormawor, stated that the deportees have not violated any laws in Ghana. He argued that their continued detention at a military facility is unlawful and lacks legal justification. Vormawor has filed an application requesting the court to compel the government to either justify the detention or release the individuals.
Background to Detention and Legal Action
The eleven individuals were deported from the US after being held in detention there. Court documents indicate that they were transported to Ghana in a military cargo aircraft while shackled.
Following their arrival in Ghana, the group was taken to a military camp. Their lawyer contends that no charges have been filed against them in Ghana, and they have not been granted access to court proceedings.
Political Disagreement Over Deportation Deal
Reports inform that there has been no official response from the Ghanaian government regarding the legal action. However, the broader issue of accepting deportees has led to political disagreement. Opposition members of parliament have called for the suspension of the agreement with the United States until it is ratified by parliament.
They argue that parliamentary approval is required under Ghanaian law before such international arrangements can be implemented.
Last week, President John Mahama announced that 14 individuals of West African origin had been received in Ghana following an agreement with the US. He later stated that all had been returned to their home countries. However, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa gave a different account, saying that only most had been repatriated.
Contradicting Accounts of Deportee Status
The legal application submitted by Vormawor contradicts both the president’s and the foreign minister’s statements. It asserts that 11 individuals remain detained in Ghana. No official list of the deportees or confirmation of their current status has been made publicly available.
In a separate development, five of the detainees—three Nigerian nationals and two Gambians—have also filed a lawsuit in the United States. They claim that their deportation violated a court order that protected them from removal at the time.
The Ghanaian foreign minister, quoted by Reuters, stated that the decision to accept the deportees was made on humanitarian grounds and in line with pan-African principles. “This should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of the immigration policies of the Trump administration,” he said.
There is currently no timeline for a court decision on the case. The eleven deportees remain in custody while legal proceedings are pending.
