Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has moved to allay the fears of Ghanaians following reports of a possible travel ban on Ghana by the United States government.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, June 19, the sector minister noted that "Ghana has not been officially notified that we are going to be placed on any prohibition list or on any ban where our citizens cannot travel to the U.S."

News of the travel ban on the African-dominated countries list emerged after a leaked memo from The Washington Post. The countries set to be affected include Ghana, Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Ethiopia; Egypt; Gabon; Gambia.

The others are Ivory Coast; Kyrgyzstan; Liberia; Malawi; Mauritania; Niger; Nigeria; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; South Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Tonga; Tuvalu; Uganda; Vanuatu; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.

The report revealed that the US State Department has new benchmarks and requirements that it would want the governments of these countries to meet within 60 days.

The memo is said to have indicated that some of these countries have “no competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” as well as were engaged in “widespread government fraud.”

The memo also bemoaned the number of foreign citizens who had overstayed their visas.

Mr Ablakwa in reaction to the reports, noted that "those leaks do not carry merit."

"So far, I can tell the people of Ghana that there is no cause for alarm,” he assured.

Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Accra has assured Ghanaians that their doors remain open.

In a statement shared on their official X (Twitter) page June 17, the embassy stated that “We remain committed to welcoming visitors from Ghana who wish to study, invest, or engage in business activities in the United States.”

While the U.S. government has not officially confirmed the countries under consideration, the leak has sparked concern and speculation in affected regions, with many Ghanaians expressing concerns over the impact of the ban.

But the U.S. Embassy’s message was clear, indicating that legitimate travellers from Ghana have nothing to fear. The statement clarified that Washington is tightening enforcement rather than closing its doors entirely.

“It is essential for all applicants to comply with U.S. laws. Any attempts to enter the United States illegally, falsify information for a visa, work without proper authorisation, or overstay a visa will incur significant penalties,” the Embassy clarified.

The Embassy concluded with a stern warning to the public about fraudsters posing as middlemen and falsely promising to secure visas. They encouraged all applicants to visit their official website to make applications at no cost.

Some countries, including Haiti, Libya, Somalia, and six other Islamic-dominated countries, have already been banned from entry into the US. The ban was effected on Monday, June 9.

The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela - have been partially restricted.This follows a directive issued on Wednesday, June 5, by U.S. President Donald Trump banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States, citing it as a move to protect his country from "foreign terrorists.”

The proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves US national interests.