The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has delivered a strong response to critics who described Ghana’s recent evacuation exercise as an overreaction, insisting that government acted swiftly and responsibly to protect lives.
According to him, the Mahama administration does not gamble with the lives of Ghanaians, stressing that the decision to evacuate citizens was based on urgent security considerations rather than motional reactions.
The evacuation process has so far been successful as the first batch of evacuees has already been safely received, while registration for a second batch has closed with over 1,000 applications recorded.
Ablakwa said the swift response by government should now be better appreciated by critics who questioned the speed and scale of the intervention, given the recent outcome of xenophobic attacks in Mozambique.
He further extended condolences to the Government and people of Mozambique following the reported killing of five of its nationals amid ongoing xenophobic attacks, as confirmed by Mozambican authorities.
He strongly condemned the violence, stating that no African should be killed by fellow Africans on African soil, and called for renewed commitment to African unity and integration.
The Minister also used the opportunity to reiterate Ghana’s commitment to Pan-African ideals, referencing free movement, economic integration and stronger intra-African trade relations inspired by the vision of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Government officials say the evacuation exercise remains ongoing as authorities continue to process and coordinate the safe return of Ghanaian nationals affected by the situation.
