Political scientist Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante has criticized the Ghanaian government’s handling of the ongoing deportation of West African nationals from the United States, describing the situation as “difficult to comprehend” and urging authorities to treat the affected individuals with greater humanity.
His remarks follow an incident on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, in which a Sierra Leonean woman—one of over 20 West African deportees—was forcibly removed from her hotel room at the Vicsem Hotel in Ogbojo, a suburb of Accra, by officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
The woman, a registered nurse who had lived in the United States for 35 years, reportedly pleaded to remain in Ghana, explaining that she had no family to return to in Sierra Leone. Her request was denied, and she allegedly suffered an asthma attack during the confrontation.
Reacting to the incident on JoyNews’ AM Show, Dr. Asah-Asante questioned Ghana’s role in the deportation arrangement.
“It’s difficult to understand. If you don’t want them, you don’t bring them here,” he said. “But once they are here, you have a responsibility to safeguard their welfare.”
He added that the case raises broader concerns about Ghana’s cooperation with foreign governments on deportation agreements and whether due process and human rights protections are being properly observed.
The Ghana Immigration Service has yet to release a detailed statement on the matter.
The incident has since triggered public debate over the transparency and legality of Ghana’s involvement in U.S. deportation operations, with many calling for parliamentary scrutiny and stronger safeguards for those affected.
