Ghanaian soccer fans risk deportation
The government has asked the Brazilian authorities to deport Ghanaian soccer fans who are seeking asylum in that country, immediately their visas expire.
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Already, diplomatic moves have begun in earnest to get the 193 illegal asylum seekers back home.
Reports indicated that the Brazillian authorities were considering the request of the asylum seekers on the grounds that they were Muslims who were escaping an inter-religious upheaval in Ghana.
But, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had dismissed the grounds on which the fans were seeking asylum.
Earlier, the government, in a statement, said that no inter-religious conflict was going on in Ghana, and, therefore, directed its embassy in Brazil to liaise with the Brazilian authorities to investigate the asylum seekers.
A statement issued by the Deputy Minister of Information and Media Relations, Mr Felix Kwakye-Ofosu in Accra said that the government’s attention had been drawn to reports in some local and international media on the matter.
“Government states for the record that the basis for this alleged request is completely false as no religious conflict is taking place in Ghana. It is also worthy to note that Ghana is one of the most stable and peaceful countries not just in the West African sub-region but also on the African Continent,” it added.
Background
It had been reported that 200 Ghanaians who entered Brazil as tourists to watch the World Cup matches had asked for asylum in the past week.
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According to the reports, the Brazilian Justice Ministry would decide whether to grant their requests, while the asylum seekers were in the meantime, allowed to work and move around in that country.
The asylum seekers all entered Brazil legally to support the Black Stars as they played in Natal, Fortaleza and Brasilia.
Ghana finished last in its group, losing to the United States and Portugal and drawing with Germany.
The fans, who claim to be Muslims fleeing inter-religious conflicts in Ghana, filed their applications in the southern city of Caxias do Sul, one of Brazil's most prosperous areas.