By Nelson Ayivor
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has robustly defended the government’s decision to deploy 54 personnel from the 48th Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to Jamaica.
Speaking in an interview, Ablakwa dismissed claims by the parliamentary minority that the mission required prior legislative approval, asserting that no constitutional provisions were violated.
“We asked them to show us any provision in the constitution, but they couldn’t. We are not deploying troops for combat, they need to get it. These are troops going on a humanitarian mission – aimed at assisting a fellow Commonwealth nation in the wake of the catastrophic Hurricane Melissa.”
The Minister signaled a shift in Ghana’s foreign policy toward “active solidarity,” moving away from what he described as a legacy of “holding cups in hand,” and always being at the receiving end. By providing technical engineering expertise rather than just financial aid, Ghana is positioning itself as a capable partner in South-South cooperation.
The core of the legal debate centered on the interpretation of military deployment. While the minority in Parliament argues that any movement of troops across borders necessitates parliamentary oversight, Ablakwa maintained that the 48th Engineers Regiment is performing a civil-military function.
The mission is strictly focused on rebuilding infrastructure, clearing rubble, and restoring essential services like water and electricity, and “helping to bring back livelihoods,” in Jamaica, where the damage from Hurricane Melissa has reached an estimated $8.8 billion.
The logistics of the mission were facilitated by a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, which airlifted over 65,000 pounds of personnel and equipment from Accra on December 17.
The Foreign Minister expressed pride in the fact that even while Ghana faces its own challenges, it can extend a helping hand to nations like Sudan, Palestine, and Cuba – specifically noting that the request for the 48th Engineers Regiment came directly from Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, to President John Dramani Mahama, underscoring the personal diplomacy involved in the response.
Eternal Monument of Gratitude:
Beyond the Caribbean, Ablakwa highlighted the enduring impact of Ghana’s “gallantry Foreign Policy” in Africa, revealing that the government of Rwanda has formally requested to build a monument at Burma Camp in Accra.
According to the Minister, this project, funded entirely by Rwandan taxpayers, is intended to honor the Ghanaian soldiers who refused to withdraw during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
While most international forces abandoned Rwanda during its darkest hour, Ghanaian troops led by General Henry Kwami Anyidoho stayed behind to create humanitarian corridors and protect civilians. The proposed monument is seen as a physical manifestation of the high esteem in which Ghana’s military is held globally.
“Rwanda continues to celebrate Ghana because of what our armed forces did when other countries left during their genocide. They say that if our troops didn’t come there on peacekeeping and didn’t stay, they don’t know if they would be alive today.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa concluded by framing these interventions as a continuation of Kwame Nkrumah’s vision of a United Africa and a supportive Global South.
Whether through the donation of relief items to Sudan or the deployment of engineers to Jamaica, the Minister argued that Ghana is asserting its status as a “top five” UN troop-contributing nation that leads with compassion.
As the engineers begin their two-week reconstruction mandate in Jamaica, the Foreign Ministry has indicated it will continue to provide updates to the public. For the government, this is not just about moving troops; it is about reinforcing the “Ghanaian brand” as a symbol of reliability and brotherhood on the international stage.