The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is spearheading negotiations to get a Ghanaian released by Ukrainian officials after he was captured as a prisoner of war.
Name withheld, the Ghanaian is said to have travelled to Moscow, Russia on July 7, 2024 to join the 2nd Assault Company of the 71st Motorized Rifle Division, participating, according to reports, in hostilities in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
Writing on his official Facebook page on Saturday, January 3, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said Kyiv notified Accra of the arrest of the Ghanaian.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa indicated that he held a meeting with the Acting Ambassador of Ukraine to Ghana, Ivan Lukachuk, on Friday, January 2 and appealed for the release of the Ghanaian.
“I am also scheduled to travel to Ukraine in the coming weeks to continue with negotiations for his release,” he wrote.
“We are hopeful that our intense diplomatic efforts would yield the expected results, particularly, leveraging our cordial relations, and Ghana’s strong advocacy for peace and a cessation of the conflict.”
Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is also the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, appealed passionately to Ghanaian youth to be alert to criminal recruitment and human trafficking networks, operating on the internet.
“Please do not fall prey. It is extremely dangerous to get involved in any conflict, you can be killed or captured.”