The Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Boamah, has called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to urgently brief Parliament on developments concerning Ghanaians living in South Africa.
According to Mr. Boamah, Parliament should not have to rely on social media posts for updates on issues that could have significant implications for Ghana’s diplomatic relations and the welfare of its citizens abroad.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, June 10, the lawmaker argued that the usual parliamentary procedures for obtaining responses from ministers are often too slow to address urgent matters.
He stressed the need for the Foreign Affairs Minister to appear before the House and provide lawmakers with firsthand information on the situation involving Ghanaians in South Africa.
“We do not want to wait until an unfortunate incident occurs or until diplomatic relations between Ghana and South Africa are threatened before action is taken,” he cautioned.
Mr. Boamah also criticised what he described as the minister’s preference for communicating through social media, insisting that Parliament deserves direct engagement on such critical issues.
“If the minister can come to Parliament to brief us on visa-related matters and other issues, then he should also come to the floor of the House to address this matter. He should stop tweeting and posting; we are the representatives of the people,” he said.
The Okaikwei Central MP further noted that lawmakers have a responsibility to represent the interests of their constituents, including those residing outside the country.
He explained that a parliamentary briefing would enable MPs to engage affected constituents and contribute meaningfully to efforts aimed at resolving any challenges they may be facing.
“We have constituents in South Africa, and as their representatives, we must be informed so that we can support efforts to address the issues confronting them,” he added.
