US announces visa restriction policy for Ghana
The United States on Monday announced a visa restriction policy for individuals Washington deems responsible for undermining democracy in Ghana, ahead of the December presidential and parliamentary elections in the West African country.
“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,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement
The move comes ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections due to take place in the West African country on 7 December.
Ghana has held peaceful, free, fair, and transparent elections for nearly two decades. But allegations of voter roll irregularities this year have created concerns about a possible democratic backslide.
The December polls will be the ninth consecutive general election since the country’s return to multi-party democracy in 1992.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was quoted as saying that the visa policy announced on Monday would be directed only at people “who undermine democracy” and not at the government or people of Ghana.
Last month, Ghana’s biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), held nationwide protests demanding an audit of the voter roll.
It alleged that it had detected thousands of unauthorised transfers and removals of voter names.
Incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is stepping down this year after his second and final four-year term.
Thirteen candidates have been approved by the electoral commission to run in the presidential election.
But analyst believe it will be a two-man race been former President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.
