Ablakwa Vows Ghana Will Match Israel's Deportations

Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to reciprocal deportations with Israel, despite receiving an apology from Israeli authorities. The government insists any future mistreatment of Ghanaian travellers will be met with a similar response.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated the government “will not compromise on the dignity” of its citizens following the recent incident at Ben Gurion International Airport.

Speaking on Joy FM on Thursday, December 11, 2025, Mr Ablakwa revealed that Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires had issued an apology and pleaded for calm after Ghana deported three Israeli nationals earlier this week as a direct response to the initial deportations.

He firmly emphasized that Ghana’s policy remains unchanged. “We made it clear that if they deported 10 Ghanaians, we will deport 10. If they deport 20, we will deport 20. If they deport 50, we will deport 50. We are not going to accept this,” the Minister said.

The diplomatic row began when Israeli authorities deported three Ghanaians who arrived with valid visas. Two were en route to participate in a government-organized cybersecurity conference, while the third was travelling on a Christian pilgrimage.

According to Mr Ablakwa, all three individuals possessed visas issued by the Israeli Chargé d’Affaires and had fully complied with their travel requirements. “None of them had violated the terms of their visas. They were not illegal immigrants,” he stressed.

The Minister also clarified reports concerning the detention of a parliamentary delegation, stating that the individuals involved were staff of the Parliamentary Service, not Members of Parliament. “There was no MP in this delegation,” he confirmed.

Mr Ablakwa underscored that the government’s response was motivated by the need to protect the rights and dignity of Ghanaian citizens abroad. “If the government of Ghana does not stand up for its nationals, nobody will. If we do not insist that we are respected, if we do not insist that our dignity is safeguarded, nobody will do it for us,” he explained.

He further challenged the explanation provided by Israeli officials, who claimed Ghana’s embassy in Tel Aviv had not cooperated with requests for travel certificates for six individuals slated for deportation.

However, Mr Ablakwa revealed that investigations by his ministry uncovered significant inaccuracies in the Israeli claims. He noted that one individual on the list was a Gabonese national, another was medically unfit to travel, a third already had a valid travel certificate, and a fourth case had never been brought to the attention of Ghanaian authorities.

“In any case, even if you have rounded up people you want deported, is this how you go about it?” he questioned, adding that any concerns should have been addressed through proper diplomatic channels, rather than detaining conference attendees and pilgrims.

Mr Ablakwa explained that Ghana’s actions were based on the principle of reciprocity, as enshrined in the Vienna Convention, which he said is crucial for maintaining mutual respect between sovereign states. He also highlighted the broader implications of dignity and equality. “The black race is not inferior and we will stand up for our people. That is the message we are sending to the Israeli authorities and to every country,” he stated.

He emphasized Ghana’s expectation that its citizens be treated with the same respect afforded to foreign nationals within Ghana. “Do not treat Ghanaians in a dehumanising way. Do not undermine our dignity. We are all human beings. We deserve the same respect, the same way we treat your nationals when they travel to our country.”

While acknowledging the long-standing cordial relations between Ghana and Israel, Mr Ablakwa maintained that Ghana did not instigate the events leading to the current diplomatic tension.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE