The Director of Communication of the United Party, Solomon Owusu, says the United States is not “heaven” and that reports of a suspension of US visa processing for Ghana and other countries should not be treated as a major national concern.
Speaking on the AM Show on Thursday, January 15, Mr Owusu argued that the reported policy does not warrant the level of attention it has attracted and does not pose any serious challenge to Ghana.
According to him, the United States, as a sovereign nation, has the right to decide who it grants permanent residency to, just as Ghana has the authority to make similar decisions regarding foreign nationals.
“There is no big deal about this matter. The US is a sovereign country, and if it decides not to grant permanent residency to certain people, that is entirely its decision. Ghana can also decide not to grant permanent residency to US citizens, and that will still be within our rights,” he stated.
He described the matter as a “non-starter”, adding that the only possible impact would be on individuals currently seeking to change their immigration status in the United States.
Mr Owusu suggested that if reports are accurate, that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is attempting to change his residency status, such a policy could affect him.
“If it is true that Ken Ofori-Atta is trying to change his status, then this policy may affect him because he may not be granted permanent residency. Other than that, there is nothing much to discuss,” he said.
Touching on Ghana’s long-standing brain drain challenge, Mr Owusu observed that professionals, including doctors and nurses, continue to relocate to the US in search of permanent residence.
He questioned who would be most affected if the policy were enforced, arguing that it should prompt deeper reflection on Ghana’s development challenges.
“We complain about brain drain, yet people leave because they believe opportunities are better elsewhere. If Ghana were better, many people would not be leaving,” he said.
Mr Owusu further clarified that the reported suspension does not affect individuals travelling to the US for visits, education, or work, and urged the public not to misinterpret the policy.
“This does not affect those going on visits, students, or people travelling for work. We need to understand the issue properly,” he added.
He urged Ghanaians to focus on national development and to stop placing undue emphasis on migration to the United States.
“The US is not heaven. We need to educate our people and build this country so that citizens will want to stay,” he stressed.
According to the US State Department, the suspension takes effect on January 21 and will remain in force indefinitely while consular officers review visa screening procedures under the long-standing “public charge” rules.
The review is intended to strengthen assessments of whether applicants are likely to become overly dependent on US public welfare systems.
The affected countries span multiple regions, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean, and include Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Thailand, and Yemen, among others.
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