President Mahama Charges Newly Ghana’s Diplomatic Corps to Drive Economic Transformation
President John Dramani Mahama has delivered a transformative mandate to Ghana’s newly appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners, charging them to spearhead the nation’s economic transformation through innovative diplomatic engagement.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, President Mahama outlined a comprehensive vision that positions Ghana’s diplomatic missions as dynamic engines of national development rather than traditional representation offices.
“I therefore expect you to be Vanguards of Ghana’s economic diplomacy. Let your missions become dynamic hubs of export promotion, investment attraction, tourism marketing, innovative change and diaspora m…
President Mahama charges Ghana’s Diplomatic Corps to Drive Economic Transformation
President John Dramani Mahama has delivered a transformative mandate to Ghana’s newly appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners, charging them to spearhead the nation’s economic transformation through innovative diplomatic engagement.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, President Mahama outlined a comprehensive vision that positions Ghana’s diplomatic missions as dynamic engines of national development rather than traditional representation offices.
“I therefore expect you to be Vanguards of Ghana’s economic diplomacy. Let your missions become dynamic hubs of export promotion, investment attraction, tourism marketing, innovative change and diaspora mobilization,” President Mahama declared.
The President emphasized that Ghana’s story must be carried to the world “not just as a beacon of democracy and stability, but also as a land of opportunity, open for business, embracing technology and committed to partnerships that deliver prosperity for our youth and dignity for our working class.”
In a ground-breaking move for Ghana’s diplomatic practice, the administration launched Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as a structured framework to guide diplomatic work. President Mahama described these as “not mere bureaucratic tools” but “instruments to ensure that every action taken by our missions abroad contribute directly to advancing Ghana’s national priorities”
This innovation signals what the President called “a new era of clarity, accountability and measurable outcomes in our Foreign Service,” with the President personally committed to monitoring progress under this framework.
The diplomatic charge forms part of the administration’s broader “reset agenda” – described as “a bold vision to restore hope in our people, to rebuild trust and to rekindle the movement towards prosperity.” While much of this work will be driven domestically, the President tasked diplomats with extending this agenda abroad through strategic partnerships and opportunities.
President Mahama also announced the “STRIDE initiative” – a strategic transition from rental to developing Ghana’s own diplomatic properties. “Ghana cannot continue spending a staggering more than $15 million every year on renting properties abroad for our diplomatic use,” he stated emphatically.
The initiative, already approved by Cabinet, aims to house missions in Republic-owned properties, “reducing wasteful expenditure while safeguarding Ghana’s dignity on the international stage.”
While calling for innovation, President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s enduring diplomatic principles of “Pan Africanism, peaceful coexistence, self determination and the pursuit of justice and equity in world affairs.” However, he stressed that “today’s world demands diplomacy that is also agile, that is innovative and purposeful”
The President’s charge represents a significant evolution in Ghana’s foreign policy approach, transforming diplomatic missions from traditional representation offices into active instruments of economic development. With global shifts in geopolitics, economics, and technology, Ghana is positioning itself not merely to respond to trends but to “actively shape trends in ways that benefit our people.”
This strategic repositioning of Ghana’s diplomatic corps underscores the administration’s commitment to leveraging every available tool for national development and international competitiveness.
The list of appointees includes:
Mrs. Sabah Zita Benson – High Commissioner, London, United Kingdom
Mr. Victor Emmanuel Smith – Ambassador, Washington D.C., USA
Ms. Mavis Ama Frimpong – Ambassador, Paris, France
Mr. Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed – High Commissioner, Abuja, Nigeria
Dr. Koma-Steem Jehu Appiah – Ambassador, Moscow, Russian Federation
Mr. Kojo Bonsu – Ambassador, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Alhaji Hammed Rashid Tunde Ali – Ambassador, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Professor Ohene Adjei – Ambassador, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany
Alhaji Abdul Nasiru-Deen – Ambassador, Ankara, Turkey
Dr. Margaret Miewien Chebere – Ambassador, Copenhagen, Kingdom of Denmark
Mr. Labik Joseph Yaani – Ambassador, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
Nii Amasah Namoale – Ambassador, Brasilia, Federative Republic of Brazil
Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso – High Commissioner, New Delhi, India
Ambassador Samuel Yao Kumah – Ambassador, New York, USA
Mr. Godwin Baletum Amonzem –Ambassador, Monrovia, Republic of Liberia
Mr. Aikins Abrokwa – Ambassador in-Situ, Director of State Protocol
Mr. Gustav Kwaku Sefe Dovlo – Ambassador in-Situ, Chief of Protocol
Mrs. Patience Kokui Gameli-Kwame – Ambassador-at-Large, Deputy Director General, Research Department.
