Ablakwa Pledges to Use Foreign Policy to Create Jobs for Ghanaians Abroad
Accra, Ghana – Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has outlined his vision to leverage foreign policy and economic diplomacy to create employment opportunities for Ghanaian professionals abroad.
Speaking during his vetting before the Appointments Committee, Mr. Ablakwa emphasized that while concerns over brain drain are valid, structured labour migration could serve as an economic growth strategy for Ghana.
He stressed the importance of signing bilateral agreements with host countries to protect Ghanaian workers from exploitation and ensure they benefit from fair employment conditions.
“I will seek to aggressively pursue economic diplomacy in a way that allows for bilateral agreements to be signed. There are countries that are looking for nurses, teachers, and other Ghanaian professionals. Why can’t we take advantage of that to solve our unemployment crisis and also to regulate the space?” he stated.
Ablakwa pointed to issues of labour exploitation in the Gulf region, stating that government intervention through formal agreements would curb abuses and eliminate the role of clandestine recruitment agencies involved in human trafficking.
“When these receiving countries know that the labour they have received is not from some clandestine agency engaged in human trafficking, they will be mindful of how they treat these workers,” he added.
The minister-designate assured Ghanaians that under his leadership, foreign policy would be a tool for tackling unemployment, turning brain drain into brain gain through well-regulated job opportunities abroad.
“Expect that one of our priority areas will be using foreign policy to address unemployment. We will ensure that young Ghanaians secure jobs overseas in a safe and structured manner,” he concluded.
