The National Coordinator for the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has defended the government's decision to accept d
The National Coordinator for the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has defended the government’s decision to accept deported Ghanaians from the United States, insisting that the move was driven by Ghanaian values of compassion and hospitality, not foreign pressure.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Thursday, September 25, 2025, Mr. Vanderpuye addressed mounting criticism over the arrival of 14 deportees in Ghana, with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirming that about 40 more are expected.
The issue has sparked heated debate, with the Minority in Parliament calling for an immediate suspension of the arrangement with the U.S. They argue that the government acted unlawfully by implementing the deal without Parliamentary ratification, which they say violates a Supreme Court ruling requiring all international agreements, including MoUs and diplomatic notes, to receive legislative approval.
Responding to the backlash, Mr. Vanderpuye stressed that the government’s position was based on humanitarian grounds, not coercion from foreign partners.
“A lot of our folks prefer to stay over there, even if it’s in the American prisons. They are displeased and angered against us for having received them. It is understandable, but we are also looking at the human factor. Would you allow your fellow human being to be dumped in Guantánamo Bay to be treated unjustly in an inhuman manner, or would you want to open your gates to them?” he asked.
Drawing from his personal background, Mr. Vanderpuye linked the government’s approach to Ghanaian cultural values.
“As a person and from a Ga descent, I have been brought up to receive people no matter the situation. Once someone knocks on your door, you warmly receive the person and get them some water to drink as custom demands. I think that is what has informed the government and the minister in handling this matter,” he said.
While defending the government’s position, he also acknowledged the need for long-term solutions to address the root causes of migration.
“We must begin to look at how we can be self-reliant and be able to churn out the right policies that will make Ghana a much more peaceful nation, so that our people can live in peace rather than seeking greener pastures elsewhere,” he added.
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