International law expert, Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, has described the recent decision by the United States government to slash Ghanaian visa validity to single entry with a three-month limit as unfair and race motivated.
Speaking on GHToday with Emmanuel Agyabeng on GHOne TV, Prof Appiagyei-Atua explained that although the US government claims the move is due to many Ghanaian students overstaying their visas, the real reasons go beyond that. He argued that the new restrictions ignore the fact that both countries benefit from educational exchange, and instead reflect unfair and racially motivated policies.
“It is not informed by the need to promote academic mobility. It is informed more by a perspective that is race motivated, it can be xenophobic, and for that matter it is not fair and it is biased,” he said.
He noted that Ghanaian students contribute significantly to the US economy through tuition and expertise, and that restricting them hurts Ghana more than it does America.
Prof Appiagyei-Atua also criticised claims that the decision was based on reciprocity, describing them as “unfounded.” According to him, Ghana imposes no such restrictions on American citizens, who continue to benefit Ghana’s tourism and investment sectors.
He called on African governments to see this as a wake-up call to improve educational opportunities at home to prevent brain drain.
“The US benefits more from our students than we do. But if we put our house in order, we can actually benefit from these restrictions by retaining expertise within our own countries,” he emphasised.
The US Embassy in Ghana announced the visa changes this week, citing non-compliance with visa rules, particularly the rate of overstaying among Ghanaian students.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
