The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has commenced a special initiative of moving his office from country to country to make the Ministry of Foreign Affairs more accessible to Ghanaians everywhere in the world.
The first batch of office rotation took the team to Benin, Nigeria and Togo.
Ministry staff spent two days in Benin interacting with the vibrant Ghanaian community, meeting Ghanaian students on a French-Year-Abroad Programme, speaking with Ghanaian entrepreneurs, meeting with staff of STC, and holding talks with the impressively organized leadership of the Ghanaian community in Benin.
The exclusive engagement with the staff of the diplomatic mission has been absolutely beneficial as it will clearly lead to the right and most appropriate set of interventions.
The Minister inspected all diplomatic properties to appreciate their true state for a more curated policy response.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa availed himself for private consultations at the embassy with Ghanaians desirous of a one-on-one opportunity to discuss important and urgent matters with their Foreign Minister.
The Minister revealed that he intends to embark on this special initiative regularly.
He is looking forward to spending 3 days in Nigeria and hopes to reach out to compatriots in Africa before replicating this on other continents.
He explains that this move is in line with President Mahama’s commitment to open, transparent, hands-on and accessible governance.
NIGERIA
The Foreign affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was warmly received at the Nigerian Foreign Ministry by His Excellency Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The discussions focused on follow up actions required on the vexed AES/ECOWAS matter after President Mahama’s recent shuttle diplomacy to Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, and his subsequent engagement with President Tinubu.
They further deliberated on enhanced trade and job creation within the AfCFTA framework, Pan-African priority projects such as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project, and the 1,028km Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway, which aims to connect Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.
The meeting also considered preparations for the ECOWAS@50 commemoration, which will be launched in Ghana later this month by President Mahama.
Story By RSM Kofi Doe Lawson
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