Foreign
U.S. Restores Five-Year Multiple-Entry Visas for Ghanaians Amid Diplomatic Breakthrough
The United States has officially lifted visa restrictions on Ghana, restoring five-year multiple-entry visas and granting expanded consular privileges for Ghanaian nationals. The development, announced on Friday, September 26, 2025, represents a major diplomatic win for Accra following months of tense negotiations with Washington.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who confirmed the breakthrough, described the agreement as a testament to persistent high-level engagement. “I am really pleased that months of diplomatic dialogue have led to this successful outcome,” Ablakwa said, hailing the decision as a “big win for Ghana.”
The announcement was formally conveyed by U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. According to diplomats present, the restored visa privileges are expected to boost travel, academic exchange, and business opportunities for Ghanaian citizens.
Ablakwa emphasized that the move demonstrates a renewed spirit of partnership between Accra and Washington. “It’s good to see healthier and stronger Ghana-USA relations. For God and Country,” he remarked.
While the decision is being celebrated in Ghana, it comes amid controversy tied to U.S. immigration policies under President Donald Trump. Ghana has recently faced criticism for cooperating with Washington in accepting West African deportees, including some individuals with no direct familial or national ties to the country.
Since early September, at least 14 West Africans have been flown to Ghana from the United States. Some of them had previously secured temporary protection from U.S. immigration courts, yet were deported regardless. Ghanaian officials later repatriated at least four of these individuals to their countries of origin.
President John Mahama defended Ghana’s role by citing the ECOWAS protocol on free movement, which allows West Africans to enter Ghana without a visa. However, critics argue that Accra risks being used as a “third-country deportation hub” for U.S. immigration enforcement.
Human rights groups have expressed alarm over the treatment of deportees. Meredyth Yoon, a U.S.-based attorney, told AFP that between eight and ten individuals were detained under military guard in Ghana before being abruptly transferred to Togo, where they were reportedly abandoned without adequate support. Another U.S. chartered deportation flight arrived in Accra this week, though the number of passengers remains unclear.
Ghanaian authorities insist their actions are humanitarian and not an endorsement of Washington’s hardline immigration agenda. Nonetheless, the developments highlight the delicate balancing act Accra must perform maintaining cordial ties with Washington while safeguarding its image within Africa and upholding human rights.
Despite these complexities, the lifting of visa restrictions underscores Ghana’s diplomatic resilience. Analysts believe the restored consular privileges will encourage smoother travel, strengthen business links, and expand educational opportunities for Ghanaians in the United States.
As Ablakwa noted, “This outcome signals not just restored visa access, but a stronger and more cooperative relationship between Ghana and the United States.”
US federal prosecutors said Sunday an Iranian national was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly trafficking arms to Sudan on behalf of Tehran.
Shamim Mafi, 44, is charged with “brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan,” US Attorney Bill Essayli wrote in an X post.
A resident of the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills, Mafi “is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016,” the prosecutor said.
Mafi was arrested Saturday and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
The post was accompanied by images of a woman presumed to be Mafi surrounded by federal agents at the airport, a large drone on a tarmac, a woman’s ID image and bundles of cash.
The United Nations recently warned that Sudan is at risk of slipping into “full-scale famine and collapse,” as the war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) enters its fourth year.
The UN Sudan chief, Denise Brown, told AFP Thursday that Sudan is facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, and weapons from outside sources deserve part of the blame.
The UN has repeatedly called on foreign powers to stop fueling the war, but has not accused specific states.
On one side, the Sudanese army has been backed by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and deployed Turkish and Iranian-made drones.
However, most of the blame has been pointed at the United Arab Emirates, which denies evidence that it has funnelled arms to the RSF, who have been accused of genocide.
AFP
United States President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has agreed to hand over its remaining stockpile of enriched uranium and abandon ambitions for a nuclear weapon, describing negotiations as being on the verge of a major breakthrough.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday before departing for Las Vegas, Trump said: “We’re very close to making a deal with Iran. We had to make sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon… They’ve totally agreed to that. They’ve agreed to almost everything.”
He added that Iran had consented to return its enriched uranium, which he has repeatedly called “nuclear dust”, material believed to be buried deep underground following earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
“They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust,” Trump stated. He also suggested that the next round of talks could take place over the weekend and expressed uncertainty about whether the current fragile ceasefire would need extension.
The comments come amid efforts to end six weeks of conflict in the Middle East that has disrupted global energy supplies and raised fears over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for oil exports.
However, Iran has not publicly confirmed Trump’s assertions. Multiple reports indicate that Tehran has previously pushed back against similar claims, describing them as exaggerated.
Recent direct talks in Islamabad on April 11-12 collapsed without agreement, with core disputes remaining over the future of uranium enrichment inside Iran and the removal of existing stockpiles.
The White House has been discussing a possible second round of negotiations in Pakistan, with officials expressing optimism.
A U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, adding pressure on Tehran.
Analysts caution that any final deal would require strict verification mechanisms, especially given the deeply buried nature of the material in question.
For Nigeria and other oil-producing nations, progress toward de-escalation could help stabilise crude prices, which have spiked due to fears of prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
A lasting agreement might also open the door for sanctions relief on Iran, potentially shifting global energy dynamics.
Trump has maintained that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is a non-negotiable red line, while offering the prospect of broader regional stability in return for Iranian concessions.
No immediate reaction from Iranian officials was available as of press time. Further developments are expected in the coming days as diplomatic channels continue.
A devastating shooting at a middle school in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday has left at least four people dead and 20 others wounded. The incident, which occurred in the province of Kahramanmaras, marks a harrowing second day of educational violence in the region, an anomaly in a country where school shootings are exceedingly rare.
The local governor, Mukerrem Unluer, confirmed to reporters that the fatalities included three pupils and one teacher. The perpetrator, identified as an eighth-grade student at the school, also died during the attack.
According to Governor Unluer, the assailant, typically aged 13 or 14 arrived at the institution concealing an arsenal within his backpack. The weapons, which authorities believe belonged to his father, a retired police officer, included five firearms and seven ammunition magazines.
“An eighth-grade student entered two classrooms occupied by fifth-grade students and opened fire indiscriminately,” Governor Unluer stated. The victims in the fifth grade are generally between the ages of 10 and 11.
The Governor further disclosed that four of the wounded are currently in critical condition and are undergoing emergency surgery.
Television footage from the site depicted a harrowing scene as police cordoned off the school gates while frantic crowds gathered nearby. Ambulances were seen transporting at least two victims from the premises as emergency services worked to stabilise the survivors.
The Justice Minister, Akin Gurlek, announced via the social media platform X that a formal investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the massacre. Authorities are expected to scrutinise how the minor gained access to his father’s service weapons.
This tragedy follows a similar incident on Tuesday in the neighbouring province of Sanliurfa, where a former student opened fire at a school, wounding 16 individuals including staff and pupils before taking his own life.
The back-to-back attacks have sent shockwaves through the Turkish nation, prompting urgent discussions regarding firearm security and the safety of academic environments.
NYSC Reschedules Orientation Date For Enugu, Osun Corps Members
Wike to Aggrieved PDP Members: “You’ll Get Your Due, Come Back”(Photos)
PDP Holds First NEC Meeting After Police Reopen National Secretariat
-
News14 hours agoFull List: Items You can no longer Import into Nigeria
-
News13 hours agoSSANU plans indefinite strike as April 30 renegotiation deadline approaches
-
News22 hours agoRescued eight Benue bus kidnap victims identified as UTME candidates
-
News14 hours agoTerror ‘kingpin’ killed as troops arrests suspects in Nasarawa, Benue, Kwara
-
News13 hours agoNCA demands arrest of Islamic cleric over alleged bounty on pastor
-
News13 hours agoJAMB releases results of 1.8m UTME candidates
-
News23 hours agoHardship Not a Licence for Broken Homes – Abejide Tells Couples
-
News13 hours agoSERAP Asks Tinubu To Withdraw NBC’s ‘Unlawful’ Directive To Broadcasters