Ablakwa rebukes US Senator over debt comments

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has rebuked U.S. Senator, Jim Risch over what he describes as offensive and condescending remarks made by the Senator about Ghana’s debt obligations and foreign policy priorities.

Senator Risch had suggested that Ghana’s Foreign Minister should focus less on diplomatic engagements in Washington and pay more attention to repaying U.S. companies and taxpayers.  He insisted that Ghana is prioritising debt payments to China.

In a post reacting to the comment made by Jim Risch, Mr. Ablakwa dismissed the criticism and mounted a spirited defence to Ghana’s right to independently manage its economic recovery and international partnerships.

“This is very rich coming from someone who refuses to advocate for reparations from the United States for its despicable role in the transatlantic slave trade. You will not be allowed to dictate to a sovereign country how it conducts its foreign policy.

“If you need to be reminded — this is Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana — the first African nation to defeat colonialism and imperialism. Let me be clear, those measly debts compared to what you owe us in reparations would be paid when we deem appropriate based on our prudent economic recovery program — even though the debt was not created by the new Mahama Administration”, Mr. Ablakwa wrote

Read full post below:

My response to Senator Jim Risch on his extremely offensive social media posts:

This is very rich coming from someone who refuses to engage in same advocacy for the payment of reparations by the US for its despicable and condemnable role in slavery.

You will not be allowed to dictate to a sovereign country on how we conduct our foreign policy — if you need to be reminded — this is Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana — the first African nation to defeat colonialism and imperialism.

Let me be clear, those measly debts compared to what you owe us in reparations would be paid when we deem appropriate based on our prudent economic recovery program — even though the debt was not created by the new Mahama Administration. Unlike you, we take responsibility and honour our national obligations.