Restored US visas nothing special to celebrate – Franklin Cudjoe slams gov’t

The President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has criticised the government for celebrating the restoration of five-year multiple-entry US visas, arguing that Ghana could have pushed for more substantial trade concessions instead

In a post on his official Facebook page, Mr. Cudjoe took issue with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for presenting the development as a major diplomatic achievement without using the opportunity to negotiate for reductions in US tariffs on Ghanaian exports.

Frankly, my brother Honourable Okudzeto, I wish this had not been posted and celebrated. We had this already. Yes, I know the Trump administration threatened visa restrictions, but we could have negotiated for more, perhaps a good reduction of the 15% tariff imposed on Ghana,” he said.

He further argued that Ghana could have taken advantage of President Mahama’s bold speech on Gaza at the UN General Assembly to secure better trade or economic deals, pointing out that US President Donald Trump was more inclined toward negotiations than symbolic gestures.

Knowing that Trump is a deal maker on almost everything and given our President’s daring, audaciously great speech on Gaza, we should not be settling for this visa pittance,” he added.

Mr. Cudjoe also linked the visa restoration to Ghana’s controversial memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States to accept West African deportees, suggesting the move may have come at a hidden cost.

Is this all we got from taking in our deportee West African neighbours? Anyways,” he quipped.

His comments came after Foreign Minister Ablakwa announced that Washington had lifted restrictions imposed in July, which had limited Ghanaian travellers to three-month single-entry visas.

The US government had introduced those restrictions earlier in the year, citing persistent cases of overstays, particularly among Ghanaian students.