Tourism
DV-2027 Lottery Delay Sparks Global Concern, but U.S. Diversity Visa Program Remains Lawfully Intact
Uncertainty surrounding the U.S. Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery has prompted anxiety among prospective immigrants worldwide, including thousands across Africa, after registration for the DV-2027 cycle failed to open as expected.
However, U.S. immigration attorney Akua Poku has clarified that the delay does not signal the cancellation of the programme.
In a legal briefing shared on social media, Poku explained that although the DV-2027 application window was widely anticipated to open around October 2025, the U.S. government has yet to announce a start date. Officials have indicated that administrative changes are underway, resulting in a temporary pause.
“As of now, nothing is open,” Poku said. “But what we are seeing is a delay, not a repeal.”
Programme Anchored in U.S. Law
The Diversity Visa Lottery is enshrined in U.S. federal law under Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). According to Poku, this legal foundation means the programme cannot be scrapped by presidential order or policy decision.
“To eliminate the DV Lottery, the U.S. Congress would have to pass a bill in both chambers and have it signed into law by the President,” she explained. “That has not happened.”
While several proposals to limit or end the DV programme have surfaced over the years, none has successfully moved through the U.S. legislative process.
Visa Issuance Temporarily Frozen
Poku confirmed that diversity visa issuance is currently frozen, both for applicants inside the United States and those processing through U.S. embassies abroad. The freeze has affected applicants from eligible countries across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and parts of the Caribbean, where the DV Lottery remains one of the few accessible legal migration pathways to the U.S.
The pause comes amid renewed security and vetting concerns, particularly following a recent high-profile criminal case in the United States involving an immigrant reportedly admitted through the programme. While the incident has intensified political debate, Poku stressed that it has not altered the DV Lottery’s legal status.
Advisory to Applicants Worldwide
With misinformation spreading rapidly online, Poku urged applicants to rely on official U.S. government announcements rather than speculation on social media.
“The DV Lottery is very time-sensitive,” she warned. “Anyone impacted by these changes should speak with a qualified immigration attorney and avoid relying on rumours.”
For now, the DV Lottery remains part of U.S. immigration law, offering hope to applicants globally.
However, observers say continued delays could have significant implications for migration planning in countries such as Ghana, where the programme is closely followed each year.
Taste GH
Kuli Kuli: The Crunchy Peanut Snack That Travels Across Ghana’s Streets With Ease
There’s a particular sound that follows Kuli Kuli down Ghana’s streets—the sharp, satisfying crunch that announces its presence long before the first bite.
Made from roasted groundnuts pressed into golden sticks or small clusters, this humble snack has earned a permanent place in everyday eating across the country.
Kuli Kuli carries the deep, nutty aroma of roasted peanuts, often enriched with a subtle kick of spice depending on who prepares it. Its texture is firm and crisp, breaking cleanly between the teeth and leaving behind a rich, earthy flavour that lingers. While simple in ingredients, it delivers a depth that makes it hard to eat just one piece.
Across Ghana, Kuli Kuli is more than a snack—it’s part of the rhythm of daily life. It shows up in woven baskets at lorry stations, in transparent bowls on street corners, and in the hands of schoolchildren heading home.
Traders often pair it with roasted groundnuts or sell it alongside other street favourites, making it an easy grab for commuters, workers, and travellers.
For many, it is a quiet companion during long journeys or busy afternoons. It is filling enough to take the edge off hunger, yet light enough to eat on the move. Visitors to Ghana often discover it unexpectedly, handed over in paper wraps or sold from roadside stalls where it sits alongside familiar street foods.
Beyond its taste and convenience, Kuli Kuli also carries a health appeal rooted in its primary ingredient—groundnuts. Rich in protein and healthy fats, it has long been considered a wholesome snack in many households, especially in communities where peanuts are a dietary staple.
Simple, durable, and deeply familiar, Kuli Kuli remains one of those foods that tells a story of resourcefulness and everyday Ghanaian life—one crunchy bite at a time.
Sights and Sounds
Echoes of the Atlantic: A Walk Through the Living History of Jamestown
The salt-heavy breeze of the Gulf of Guinea tangles with the scent of woodsmoke and freshly grilled tilapia as you step into the labyrinthine alleys of Jamestown.
Above, the scarlet and white stripes of the iconic 1930s lighthouse pierce a hazy blue sky, standing as a silent sentry over a neighborhood that refused to be forgotten. To walk these streets is to feel the heartbeat of Accra—raw, rhythmic, and fiercely soulful.
Here, the past doesn’t sit behind glass; it lives in the peeling paint of colonial storefronts and the vibrant mural-lined walls that serve as the community’s open-air canvas.
The geography of Jamestown is a visual timeline of Ghana’s evolution. At the edge of the Atlantic, the Ga Mashie community thrives around the bustling fishing harbor.
From the vantage point of the old harbor walls, you can watch hundreds of hand-painted wooden pirogues, draped in colorful flags, bobbing on the surf as fishermen haul in the morning’s catch. Just a stone’s throw away, the somber, whitewashed walls of Ussher Fort and James Fort provide a stark architectural contrast.
These structures, remnants of Dutch and British colonial presence, offer a heavy but necessary reflection on the transatlantic slave trade, their dungeons echoing with centuries of history that shaped the modern world.
A walking tour here is an exercise in sensory immersion. One moment, you are navigating the narrow “Brazil House” lane, learning about the Tabom people—formerly enslaved Afro-Brazilians who returned to their ancestral home—and the next, you are surrounded by the chaotic energy of a street-side boxing gym.
Jamestown is the undisputed pugilist capital of West Africa; the rhythmic thud of gloves against heavy bags is as much a part of the local soundtrack as the highlife music drifting from corner bars.
Visitors shouldn’t miss the chance to climb the lighthouse for a panoramic view that captures the duality of the city: the old colonial footprint dissolving into the rising glass skyscrapers of the modern business district.
Jamestown demands that you slow down and engage. It is a place where a simple “Agooo” (the local way of asking for passage or attention) opens doors to hidden courtyard cafes and artisan workshops.
By the time the sun begins to dip, painting the harbor in hues of molten gold and violet, you realize that Jamestown isn’t just a destination on a map; it is a masterclass in resilience and the enduring power of community.
Taste GH
Golden, Airy, Irresistible: The Simple Magic of Bofrot
No elaborate fillings. No icing. Just nutmeg, a whisper of sugar, and decades of street-side perfection.
There’s a moment just before dawn in Accra when the air changes—still thick with harmattan dust but suddenly split by the sweet, yeasty whisper of bofrot hitting hot oil. That scent is an alarm clock no one resists.
For the uninitiated: bofrot is Ghana’s golden-fried dough ball, airy as a cloud, crisp on the outside, and tender within. No elaborate fillings. No icing. Just nutmeg, a whisper of sugar, and decades of street-side perfection.
Vendors pile them high in woven baskets near lorry parks, school gates, and market corners. A small bag costs pocket change, yet it fuels everyone from office workers to toddlers tugging at their mothers’ skirts.
Unlike heavier doughnuts, bofrot is surprisingly light—no greasy linger. It’s vegan by tradition, making it an accidental ally for plant-based travelers.
You’ll see Ghanaians tearing pieces to dip into koko (spiced millet porridge) at breakfast or eating them plain as a 4 p.m. pick-me-up. At weddings and outdoorings (naming ceremonies), bofrot arrives in pyramids, a quiet symbol of hospitality and joy.
@akosuahstastyrecipe NO FAIL GHANAIAN BOFROT🇬🇭 ✅INGREDIENTS 3 cups hard flour 1 cup sugar 1 pack instant yeast 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 and half cup lukewarm water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Oil for frying ✅NOTE Please make sure the water you will use for the yeast is lukewarm not hot #ghanatiktok🇬🇭 #fyp #foodblogger #viral_video #accra #foodies #homemade #bofrot #puff #puffpuff #doughnut @Flottycastiron_and_kitchen ♬ Big Baller – Flavour
Visitors often ask, “Is it just puff puff?” Close, but not quite. Bofrot has a tighter crumb, a deeper caramel blush, and a distinct Ghanaian soul.
Try one from a Mamprobi street cart, steam still rising. You’ll understand why no recipe book can replicate the rhythm of the woman who’s flipped a million of them—her wrist flicking dough into oil like she’s telling time. That’s the real secret.
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