Minister mad over alleged inhumane treatment to Ghanaian deportees

The Minister for Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has expressed worry over the alleged inhumane treatment meted out to the 63 Ghanaians that were deported back to Ghana for overstaying their visas in the United States of America.

According to her, it is uncalled for when the basic human rights of deportees returning to their home country are violated knowing very well that they are already handicapped and therefore, cannot cause any harm.

Some 63 Ghanaians were deported to Ghana on June 14, 2017, for overstaying their visas and or permit. They were welcomed by some health officials, National Security personnel and some officials from the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB).

Following their arrival, the deportees complained of inhumane treatment that was meted out to them prior to boarding the chartered flight that brought them to Ghana.

Some complained of being chained while others also complained of being handcuffed.

But speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Committee on Foreign Affairs’ engagement with the US Ambassador to Ghana over the deportation exercise in Parliament on Thursday, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said the alleged maltreatment to the deportees does not augur well for the relationship that exists between the two countries.

“When you are deporting someone back to his home country, you don’t have to give him or her that kind of treatment. It is inhumane. Even before the deportees came, the US Embassy had some discussions with my deputy while I was outside the country that they will be deporting some Ghanaians who have overstayed their visas back home and my deputy told them that if that is the case, treatment from the time they board the flight should not go against their basic human rights. But we are hearing a different thing altogether,” she noted.

She promised to take the matter up with the American Embassy.