The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Ghana and around the world. The Department of State is announcing a new visa restriction policy that will restrict U.S. visas for any individual responsible for undermining democracy in Ghana. This policy will take effect in advance of Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place December 7, 2024.
These are the exact words of Mr Anthony J. Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America, as published on the website of the US Department of State on October 28, 2024. According to Blinken,“this visa restriction policy would apply only to specific individuals who undermine democracy and is not directed at the Ghanaian people nor the Government of Ghana.
“Ghana has achieved three decades of democratic elections and the peaceful transfer of power between parties – a record to be proud of and a model to cherish. The United States’ readiness to impose visa restrictions if circumstances warrant is an example of our support for the aspirations of all Ghanaians for a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process that reflects the will of the people.
“This visa restriction policy is pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and allows the Department of State to implement visa restrictions for individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Ghana, including through the manipulation or rigging of the electoral process; the use of violence to intimidate, coerce or prevent people from exercising their rights to freedoms of association and peaceful assembly; the use of measures designed to intimidate, coerce or prevent political party representatives, voters, or members of civil society or the media from voicing or disseminating their views; or engaging in any other activity designed to improperly influence the conduct or outcome of an election.
“Certain family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions. Persons who undermine democracy in Ghana — including in the lead-up to, during, and following Ghana’s 2024 elections may be found to be ineligible for visas under this policy.”
The Chronicle congratulates the Secretary of State and the US as a whole for this timely statement, which will obviously ensure peaceful elections in our motherland. The only World Super Power is telling all of us that she does not compromise on her principles of democracy.
It is trite knowledge that some of the politicians on the continent of Africa have the penchant of inciting violence, especially during crucial elections, and then run away to either the US or Europe, when the situation exacerbates. Some of these leaders or politicians have stolen so much that they can afford to stay outside their respective countries and enjoy their booty, after creating the internecine war back home.
Unfortunately, some of these politicians do not receive the required punishment for the crime they have committed, because they are living out of this jurisdiction. In the end, it is their people that suffer for the crimes they have committed. In our opinion, the only way to deal with some of these injustices is the policy that the US is introducing.
If our politicians and opinion leaders know that they cannot run to America or Europe to seek refuge after throwing the country into turmoil, they will think twice before using the upcoming December 7 election as a platform to cause confusion in the country.
The Chronicle is even happy that this visa restriction is being extended to family members of those who may try to sow seed of confusion in the country.
It is an undeniable fact that some of these politicians and wealthy people already have their families staying in the US, Canada and some of the European countries. So they just run away to stay with their families and enjoy themselves, after their actions and inactions have blown the country apart.
The Chronicle is, therefore, appealing to Mr Anthony Blinken to make it a policy to deport such families back home to face the consequences that have been created by their husbands and fathers.
We are equally appealing to UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and other European countries to come out with similar policy to protect our infant democracy.
We are raising this issue because if US refuses to grant visas to individuals who undermine our democracy, but the European countries are ready to do so, it will defeat the objective.
This is the reason why we are appealing to all European countries with embassies in Ghana to follow the giant step that has been taken by the US, by imposing visas restriction on anyone whose action undermine our democracy.
