Democracy Hub convener and lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor has sharply criticised the government over its deportation agreement with the United States, describing it as a betrayal of Ghana’s Pan-African values and a violation of international law.
Speaking after a Supreme Court hearing on the case filed by Democracy Hub to challenge the agreement, Mr Barker-Vormawor said the deal lacks transparency and contradicts the principles Ghana claims to uphold. He argued that the arrangement with the Trump administration was unconstitutional and urged the court to declare it null and void.
“The Attorney General themselves are walking away from what they previously called a memorandum. The Deputy Attorney General referred to it as an understanding, and before the court, it’s now being called an arrangement,” he said, questioning the government’s credibility.
He also condemned the continued implementation of the agreement despite the pending court case, describing it as a violation of human rights. “We filed this matter in October, and the government continues to enforce the deal with rapid force. People are being deported and treated in ways that fall short of the Republic’s standards,” he stated.
Mr Barker-Vormawor further challenged the government’s moral standing, pointing to the contradiction between its Pan-African rhetoric and its treatment of deportees. “The Foreign Minister calls Ghana the Mecca of Pan-Africanism, yet we accept deportees from the U.S. under conditions that betray that very ideal,” he said.
He called on the government to withdraw from the agreement and take corrective action, adding that Democracy Hub would be willing to discontinue the case if the state demonstrates a genuine commitment to human rights and international law.
