US Imposes Visa Restrictions on Ghana Amid Diplomatic Tensions

The United States has introduced visa restrictions on Ghana, citing concerns over cooperation on immigration-related matters. Find out what led to the decision and its potential impact on US-Ghana relations.

On Monday, the US State Department announced plans to impose visa restrictions on individuals whom Washington considers responsible for undercutting democracy in Ghana.

This action occurs in anticipation of the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 7th in the West African nation.

For almost twenty years, Ghana has conducted elections that are peaceful, free, fair, and transparent. However, this year there have been allegations of irregularities in the voter roll, sparking concerns about a potential regression in its democratic process.

The December elections will mark the ninth consecutive general election since the country’s return to multi-party democracy in 1992.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the visa policy announced on Monday would target solely individuals who “undermine democracy,” rather than the government or citizens of Ghana.

READ ALSO: Ghana Eyes Fuel Imports from Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery for Energy Security

In the previous month, Ghana’s largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), organized nationwide protests to call for an audit of the voter roll.

It claimed to have identified thousands of unauthorized transfers and removals of voter names.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is concluding his service this year as he steps down following the completion of his second and final four-year term.

The electoral commission has approved thirteen candidates to run in the presidential election.

However, analysts believe it will be a two-man race between former President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.