“We’ll Ensure Ghanaians Everywhere Are Treated With Respect”: Ablakwa on Xenophobic Attacks
- Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, vowed to protect citizens abroad from any harmful act
- Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa's comes after the recent xenophobic attacks that have started in South Africa
- The Minister vowed that the government is committed to safeguarding Ghanaians' rights and dignity everywhere they are
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has sent a strong signal that the government will not sleep on its responsibility to defend and protect Ghanaians living abroad.
The Foreign Affairs Minister's comment comes after reports of renewed attacks targeting Ghanaians and other African nationals in South Africa. The incidents have exposed the constant threat of xenophobic attacks in parts of South Africa.
Source: Facebook
In an interview with Accra-based TV3 Ghana, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said a key responsibility of the Foreign Affairs Ministry is to protect Ghanaians abroad. He emphasised that the government will pursue this core mandate without compromise.
He underscored that no Ghanaian, regardless of location, will be left vulnerable or without state protection.
“We have demonstrated that we will not compromise when it comes to protecting the rights of Ghanaians and ensuring that their dignity and humanity are preserved, and that is what the Foreign Ministry exists to do."
"Every Ghanaian everywhere must have the confidence that when I am in harm’s way and in trouble, I will not be left alone and that my Foreign Ministry and government will stand up for me and fight for me and will seek to protect my interests and seek to preserve my rights and that is a very clear message we are sending out with very profound respect and we will continue to ensure that Ghanaians everywhere are treated with respect,” he added.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said ensuring the safety of citizens across borders is also important to Africa's collective progress.
He warned that xenophobic violence not only endangers lives but also weakens the foundations of pan-African unity and longstanding ties among nations on the continent.
Mahama condemns xenophobic sentiments
Following the recent xenophobic agitations in South Africa, Ghanaians have been reminded of President John Mahama's previous remarks on the anti-immigrant sentiments.
A video has resurfaced of the president's critical remarks from 2015, during his first term as the head-of-state.
In the said video, President Mahama said such sentiments were regrettable and most unfortunate.
"I think that the young people of South Africa do not know what happened before they gained their freedom."
His remarks came after several people had died in xenophobic attacks, where South Africans accused black foreigners of taking over their jobs.
Mahama, speaking to the media in Nigeria at the time, said that the behaviour of South Africa betrays other African countries that led the fight against apartheid.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans sack others from their hospitals
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that South Africans were videoed demanding that non-citizens leave public hospitals and seek healthcare in private facilities.
In the video online, a young South African man ordered the health workers to only stabilise the non-citizens and send them away.
Ghanaians who saw the video on social media thronged the comment section to share their varied thoughts on the matter.
Source: YEN.com.gh
