The Ghanaian Government has explained why it opened its doors for West African deportees from the United States.

President John Mahama cited the regional bloc ECOWAS free movement protocol that allows citizens of member States to enter and reside in other West African countries without a visa for up to 90 days.

Ghana has become the latest country to accept people deported from the US as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

President John Mahama said nationals from various West African countries would now be taken in following a bilateral agreement with the US.

He said 14 had already arrived.

Last month, the US deported seven migrants to Rwanda while in July, five were sent to Eswatini and eight others to South Sudan.

The 14 people already deported to Ghana include “several” Nigerians and a Gambian, the President said.

He did not specify the total number of deportees the country would take.

He said Ghana had already facilitated the return of the Nigerians to their country by bus while the Gambian was still being assisted to return home.

“We were approached by the US to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the US. And we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable,” Mahama said.

“All our fellow West African nationals don’t need visas to come to our country,” he added.

He justified the decision by saying West Africans “don’t need a visa anyway” to come to Ghana. (The Nation)