Eighty-six Ghanaians deported from the United States of America arrived in Ghana on Wednesday, March 13, 2018.
They were arrested at different states for various immigration offences such abuse of the terms of their visas and engaging in illegal employment.
The deportees, all males, came on a chartered flight on Wednesday morning.
More deportations expected
It is expected that more Ghanaians who are at various detention centres across the USA will be deported this year.
Detained between 6 and 12 months prior to deportation
Information indicates that, they were detained for periods ranging from between six and 12 months before being deported to Ghana.
82 Came with travel certificates
Out of the 86 people deported, 82, who did not have passports, came with travel certificates, while four traveled with Ghanaian passports.
Regional breakdown of deportees
The regional breakdown of the deportees is as follows: Greater Accra – 37, Ashanti – 24, Brong Ahafo – six, Northern – five, Upper West – four, Western – four, Eastern – three, Upper East – two, and one from Volta Region.
The deportees have been processed by the Ghana Immigration Service and have since joined their families.
7,000 Ghanaians in US await deportation
In 2017, US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson, revealed that the Trump administration in America was set to deport over 7,000 Ghanaians who have abused the terms of their visas.
At the time, he said the Ghanaians were at different stages of the deportation process.
“In fact, about 7,000 of them are currently at different stages of the deportation process. And we are not apologetic about that,” he told the Ghanaian media last year.
1,968 Ghanaians deported in 2016
Statistics from the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) revealed that a total of 1,968 Ghanaians who traveled to various countries around the world were either deported or refused entry to the country they were traveling to.
The breakdown of the figure shows that 1,245 Ghanaians were refused entry into various destinations abroad for failing to meet their respective entry conditions in 2016.
This means the refusal of entry into various destinations of Ghanaians shot up by 50.5% from the 827 figure recorded in 2015.
Reasons for refusal of entry include the traveler failing to provide clear information on where the individual is going, misbehaviour towards immigration officer, not having sufficient funds, information provided at entry point contradicts information provided on application form submitted to the embassy to get the visa, and possessing fake visa.
It is explained that visa offers partial clearance and that immigration officers have the discretion to grant or deny travellers entry.
723 Deportations in 2015
A total of 723 Ghanaians were deported from various countries abroad for non-compliance to immigration and other related laws of those countries.
Of the number, 42 were voluntarily repatriated whilst 38 were deported together on a special flight (mass deportation).
The remaining 681 came on commercial flights.
It must be emphasised that Ghanaians continue to be deported on commercial flights, hence the huge numbers for deportees during the year under review.
Breakdown of deportations
The top 10 countries where Ghanaians were deported from include Saudi Arabia – 291, USA – 74, UK – 44, Kuwait – 44, Germany – 41, and Malaysia – 22.
The rest are Thailand – 14, Italy – 13, Israel – 13, and Egypt – six.
3,556 Deported in 2014
It has emerged that a total of 3,556 Ghanaians who traveled to various countries around the world were deported in 2014.
The breakdown involved 2,618 deportees, who came on commercial flights; 76 came as mass deportees; 725 were inadmissible, which means they got to the airport of the country of destination but were refused entry; and 137 were removed or refused entry.
Additionally, 93 Ghanaians returned home through voluntary repatriation while 77 stowaways were arrested and deported to Ghana.
2, 940 Deportees in 2013
Data from the GIS revealed that as many as 2,940 Ghanaians were deported to Ghana in 2013 while the number of Ghanaians who were refused entry into the various countries they were travelling to at airports amounted to 676.
According to the data, a total of 237 Ghanaians were voluntarily repatriated from various countries to Ghana last year.
The GIS information also indicates that 179 people who hid aboard ships (stowaways) in order to obtain free passage into other countries were also arrested and deported to Ghana.
Source: The Finder Newspaper
