Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Sixty-two Ghanaians have been killed and 15 others remain unaccounted for after travelling to Russia amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed.
The Minister revealed the figures in Moscow after holding bilateral discussions with Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, during which Ghana raised concerns over the recruitment of its citizens into the conflict.
Mr. Ablakwa said some Ghanaian youths had been lured to Russia with promises of employment but later found themselves involved in military operations against Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, the number of Ghanaian deaths in Russia has gone up. 62 Ghanaians have now died and 15 who travelled to Russia remain missing,” he said in a post on X after the meeting.
He described the prevention of the recruitment and enlistment of Ghanaian nationals into the war as a major concern for the Ghanaian government.
“An important matter to Ghana was how to stop the illegal recruitment of Ghanaian youth who are lured and end up fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war,” he stated.
The Minister said Russia had expressed its willingness to cooperate with Ghana in tackling the recruitment of Ghanaian nationals for military purposes.
“I welcome the pledge of the Russian Government to work with the Government of Ghana to stop the illegal enlistment of our youth,” Mr. Ablakwa said.
He assured that the government would continue discussions with the Russian authorities while stepping up advocacy to prevent young Ghanaians from falling victim to deceptive recruitment arrangements.
“The Government of Ghana will continue to lead advocacy on this matter and ensure that our youth are protected from harm’s way. This is not our war and it should not be claiming Ghanaian lives,” he added.
The disclosure follows growing concerns about reports that Ghanaian nationals are being recruited to Russia on the basis of employment opportunities before allegedly being deployed to participate in military activities.
Mr. Ablakwa did not disclose the identities of the deceased or missing persons, nor did he give details about the circumstances surrounding their deaths or disappearances.
By Ernest Kofi Adu