US announces visa restrictions for Ghana

The US State Department announced on Monday that it will impose visa restrictions on individuals deemed responsible for undermining democracy in Ghana. This decision comes as the West African nation prepares for its presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.
Ghana has a strong record of holding peaceful, free, and fair elections for nearly two decades. However, recent allegations of irregularities in the voter roll have raised concerns about a potential democratic backslide. The upcoming elections will mark the ninth consecutive general election since Ghana’s return to multi-party democracy in 1992.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken clarified that the visa policy will target individuals “who undermine democracy” rather than the Ghanaian government or its citizens. This announcement follows nationwide protests by Ghana’s largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which demanded an audit of the voter roll after alleging unauthorized transfers and removals of voter names.
Incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is stepping down after completing his second and final four-year term. Thirteen candidates have been approved by the electoral commission to run in the presidential election, but analysts predict a competitive race between former President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.