President of Policy Think Tank, IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe has questioned whether the reversal of visa restrictions for Ghanaians is what Ghana got for accepting deportee West African neighbours.
He says if that is what Ghana got, then it’s not enough, and more must be gained from such a deal.
Franklin Cudjoe believes that it is mediocre for the Minister to make such an announcement, especially when he knows that the country already had that privilege in the past.
He believes that a reduction in the tariff imposed on Ghana would have been a better negotiation for Ghana rather than reversal of visa restrictions for the people of Ghana.
Making his point known in a Facebook post, he said “Frankly, my brother Honourable Okudzeto, I wish this had not been posted and celebrated. We had this already. Yes, l know the Trump administration threatened visa restrictions, but we could have negotiated for more, perhaps a good reduction of the 15% tariff imposed on Ghana.
Knowing that Trump is a deal maker on almost everything and given our President’s daring , audaciously great speech on Gaza, we should not be settling for this visa pittance. Is this all we got from taking in our deportee West African neighbours? Anyways”.
Background
Ghana has scored a diplomatic breakthrough as the United States reverses its visa restrictions on the country, restoring access to five-year multiple entry visas and expanded consular privileges for Ghanaian travelers.
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa described the development as a “big win for Ghana,” revealing that the decision was formally communicated to him by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“I am really pleased that months of high-level diplomatic negotiations has led to a successful outcome,” Ablakwa said in a statement.
The visa restrictions, introduced in July this year, limited Ghanaians to three-month single entry visas, with the US citing years of visa overstays, particularly among students, as the main reason for the measure.
With the reversal, Ablakwa said Ghana-US relations have taken “a healthier and stronger” turn. He concluded his statement with optimism: “For God and Country.”
