Accra, Ghana – Minority Caucus of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has indicated its utmost concern over the most recent Level 2 Travel Advisory issued by the United States of America (USA) to Ghana.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, the Caucus labeled the advisory as “a serious indictment of Ghana’s long history as one of Africa’s safest, most stable, and best-governed countries.”
The advisory issued by the US government warns its citizens to “exercise increased caution” upon traveling to or within Ghana, citing an upsurge in violent crime, inadequate law enforcement, and under-reporting of serious crimes, including sexual assault.
According to the statement, signed by the Deputy Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo Adjei Ayeh, the Travel Advisory also includes indicators for “widespread violence and/or organized crimes (C), political and/or civil unrest (U), and other risks (O).”
“Ghana, the beacon of democracy in Africa, has long enjoyed outstanding international recognition for security, democratic stability, and good governance,” the statement continued.
The Minority argues that “post-elections violence perpetrated by well-known political activists, and left unchecked, have culminated in this scathing Advisory being issued against Ghana, and increasingly undermining Ghana’s enviable image within the community of nations.”
The Caucus also argues that this decline is “symptomatic of the Government’s woeful failure to respond to escalating insecurity, the breakdown of law enforcement, and a culture of impunity.”
The statement also denounces the “scandalous silence and inaction on recent high-profile security issues, including reports of drug trafficking, money laundering, and illicit financial flows,” which they say have negatively impacted Ghana’s international financial reputation.
Moreover, the Minority also brings to light the “spate of recent violence in Bawku, including killings, indiscriminate shootings, and burning of houses” as another factor which has blackened Ghana’s international image. The US Travel Advisory is reported to grade such areas at a Level 3 danger, just below that of countries in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso and Mali.
“The Government’s inability to contain the Bawku conflict not only endangered lives but also caused serious security concerns. It is not overstating to conclude that such ongoing instability, coupled with the government’s inability to provide law and order, and recent engagements with high-risk countries in the Sahel, have affected international partners like the United States to reassess Ghana’s safety profile, leading to the issuance of the travel advisory,” the statement adds.
The Minority points out the serious consequences of this advisory on investment, saying that “investors would have to take extra precautions every time they visit the country.”
In response to the development, the Minority Caucus on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament has issued the following demands:
- Condemnation: They “condemn, in no uncertain terms, the Government’s negligence and poor handling of our national security and governance matters.”
- Call for Action: They “call upon the Government to act promptly to restore rule of law by conducting proper investigation and prosecution of all pending criminal cases free of political interference.”
- Emergency Action by President: They “call on the President of the Republic to take emergency steps to restore confidence in our security services and diplomacy.”
- Call for Collaboration: They “call on civil society, religious organizations, and the diplomatic community to join voices in holding the government accountable.”
The Minority concludes by stating, “Ghanaians deserve a government that upholds the rule of law, protects its citizens, and maintains our country’s rightful place as a beacon of peace and security on the African continent.”