Don’t Politicise The Ukrainian Issue-Foreign Minister
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Intergration has called on politicians and entire Ghanaian populace to desist from making political capital out of the precarious condition of Ghanaians in Ukraine currently caught up in the war.
Addressing newsmen in Accra, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey admonished those engaged in misinforming the people to put a stop to such unnationalistic behavior at this crucial state of our difficult moment. The Honourable minister humbly appealed to perpetrators of that negative reportage of government indifference in solving the problem of Ghanaians in Ukraine.
She told the Press that her outfit is liaising with the country’s missions around the place to address the issue. She denied that government has not been proactive in evacuating locked up Ghanaians in the war. “Ghana as a non permanent member of the UN Security Council engaged the Russians and we did not anticipate any stand off so soon.
All over the world we didn’t foresee Russian onslaught from their assurance. But nevertheless dialogue is ongoing to persuade Russia to back off. So no one should blame government for our action which is timely and prompt”. The Foreign Affairs Minister intoned that she had had the occassion to engage the Russian Ambassador in Ghana who assured her of non attack on Ukraine so it is a surprise to the government.
She intimated that Ghana prefers dialogue instead of war that has claimed hundreds of innocent civilians since February 22 that the war started. “Our interest now is to get the unfortunate stranded students caught up in the scuffle. We have put measures in place to bring the students back home. We have contacted neighbouring countries like Poland, Hungary, Romanian, Bulgaria, Czeck Republic and others to help us evacuate our citizens.
As l speak, about 460 students are at various borders waiting evacuation in neighbouring countries. So far 220 students have arrived home safely. 85 are locked up in Moscow ,25 in Hungary , 38 in Poland, 60 are going to border formalities, 132 in Bucharest in Bulgaria, etc.
She denied the death of any Ghanaian in the war so far. To offer easy evacuation, some numbers embassies have been given to the students to call for rescue. She said her ministry would meet parents and guardians on Tuesday 2nd March, 2022 at the AICC to assuage and soothe their fears and anxiety. The minister advised all Ghanaians to register with embassies abroad to be assisted in times like these.
