International Relations Consultant Al-Wahab has urged the government to reconsider its decision to reject a GH¢20 million donation from MTN Ghana to support the repatriation of Ghanaians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Speaking on Nnaw)twe Yi on Adom TV, Mr Al-Wahab argued that the government’s decision was driven more by emotion than diplomatic considerations and called on authorities to return to MTN for the funds.
The government recently declined the GH¢20 million support from MTN Ghana towards the cost of bringing Ghanaians back to the country following xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The decision attracted public praise, with some citizens commending the government for rejecting the donation.
Mr Al-Wahab, however, disagreed with the decision, insisting that there was no sufficient justification for turning down the money.
He explained that MTN was not making the donation on behalf of the South African government, and therefore the acceptance of the funds should not have been viewed as compromising Ghana’s position on the attacks.
According to him, the money could have been accepted and channelled into other areas of national development if the government did not want to use it directly for the repatriation exercise.
He suggested that the funds could, for instance, have been invested in strengthening Ghana’s healthcare system or channelled through the Youth Employment Agency to create jobs for young people.
Mr Al-Wahab further warned that rejecting the donation could create an unfavourable precedent for future support from foreign-owned companies operating in Ghana.
He noted that some Ghanaians hold shares in MTN, arguing that the company should not necessarily be viewed solely as a foreign entity when considering its contribution to national causes.
He also cautioned that the government’s decision could make it more difficult to seek assistance from telecommunications companies in future emergencies.
Mr Al-Wahab maintained that diplomatic decisions should be guided by established principles rather than emotions.
“Diplomacy has nothing to do with emotion and diplomacy has got standard practice that we practice. So I’m thinking that, much as government took emotional decisions, it is not too late to go back and pick the money,” he said.
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