The Executive Director of the Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has welcomed the decision by the United States government to deny persons who undermine Ghana’s democracy visa.
Mr Braimah urged other Western democracies to emulate the same.
“The announced US Visa restrictions policy against persons who will undermine democracy in Ghana is a welcome development. Every nation should use its soft power to help protect democracy. I urge other Western democratic nations to do same & should actually include freezing of assets,” he wrote on his X platform.
The United States Department of State has expressed its commitment to supporting and advancing democracy in Ghana.
According to a statement issued by the Secretary of State, Anthony J. Blinken, a visa restriction policy which was announced on October 28, would apply only to specific individuals who undermine democracy.
The statement explained that the policy is not directed at the Ghanaian people nor the Government of Ghana.
“The Department of State is announcing a new visa restriction policy today 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,” a portion of the statement reads.
The US Department of State further noted that “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.”
