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Ghana has commenced diplomatic negotiations with Ukraine to secure the release of a Ghanaian national being held by Ukrainian authorities as a prisoner of war, the country’s foreign minister disclosed on Saturday.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said in a post on X that the Ukrainian government had formally notified Ghana of the arrest and provided the identity of the detained individual, which Ghanaian authorities have since verified.
According to Ablakwa, “evidence made available indicates that the Ghanaian arrived in Moscow, Russia, on July 7, 2024, where records show he signed a contract to join the 2nd Assault Company of the 71st Motorised Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorised Rifle Division.”
“He subsequently participated in hostilities in the Zaporizhzhia direction,” Ablakwa added.
Ablakwa said he met on Friday with the Acting Ukrainian Ambassador to Ghana, Ivan Lukachuk, and appealed for the release of the Ghanaian national. He added that a special diplomatic message had also been sent to Kyiv.
The foreign minister said he is scheduled to travel to Ukraine in the coming weeks to continue negotiations aimed at securing the man’s release.
He noted that “Ghana has objected to the potential of our national being added to a prisoners of war exchange between Ukraine and Russia considering that could make him even more vulnerable.”
“We are hopeful that our intense diplomatic efforts would yield the expected results,” Ablakwa said, citing Ghana’s cordial relations with Ukraine and its advocacy for peace and an end to the conflict.
The minister also warned Ghanaian youth against being lured by illegal recruitment and human trafficking networks linked to the war, saying such operations often function covertly and online.
“May I use this opportunity to passionately appeal to the youth of Ghana to be alert to the modus operandi of these criminal recruitment and human trafficking networks operating clandestinely and often through the dark web.
“Please do not fall prey. It is extremely dangerous to get involved in any conflict; you can be killed or captured.”
Ablakwa said the government of President John Mahama would continue to prioritise the welfare of Ghanaians and ensure that no one is left in harm’s way.
