- Charles Wiredu criticizes lack of parliamentary involvement in Ghana’s acceptance of deported nationals from the U.S.
- Ghana received 14 deportees, including Nigerians and one Gambian.
- The President cited ECOWAS free movement rules as justification.
- Wiredu pointed to Article 75 of the Constitution requiring parliamentary ratification for international agreements.
- Concerns raised over transparency, legality, and precedent for future agreements.
Charles Wiredu, a former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and current member of the Parliamentary Security and Intelligence Committee, has publicly questioned the legality and transparency of Ghana’s recent arrangement to receive deported nationals from the United States.
The issue arose after the President revealed that Ghana had accepted 14 deportees, including citizens of Nigeria and one from Gambia. The explanation provided cited ECOWAS’s Protocol on Free Movement, which allows nationals of member states to enter another member country without a visa for up to 90 days.
Wiredu expressed surprise, stating that neither he nor his parliamentary committee had been informed about the agreement before it was carried out. He emphasized that, under Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution, all international agreements signed by the President are required to be submitted to Parliament for approval. This can be through either a formal act or a resolution backed by a majority of lawmakers.
Highlighting the importance of following constitutional procedures, Wiredu suggested that bypassing Parliament not only raises questions of legality but also sets a concerning precedent for transparency in government dealings.
The former deputy minister’s intervention comes amid increasing debate about the role of Parliament in overseeing agreements that have implications for national security and citizen rights.
