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Ghana will resume evacuations from South Africa if lives are threatened – Ablakwa
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Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has assured Ghanaians that the government remains ready to evacuate nationals from South Africa if their lives are threatened by further attacks.
He said the completion of the recent evacuation exercise did not mean Ghana had closed the door on bringing home citizens who may need assistance.
Mr Ablakwa made the remarks during an interview on TV3’s The Key Points on October 10, 2026, following concerns over renewed tensions in South Africa after a decision by the country’s highest court on the rights of asylum seekers.
He explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Consular and Humanitarian Bureau (COHAB), continued to monitor the situation and assess the welfare of Ghanaians in distress.
“The Consular and Humanitarian Bureau (COHAB) of the Foreign Ministry continues to be active, and continues to assess every situation, particularly the situation of Ghanaians in distress. And I watch that space very closely,” he said.
The minister stressed that the government would intervene if there were further attacks or a deterioration in the security situation that placed Ghanaians at risk.
He noted that the ministry had continued to evacuate citizens from other parts of the world even after concluding the recent exercise in South Africa.
According to him, Ghana has evacuated nationals from Libya, Myanmar and Cambodia, among other places, as part of efforts to protect citizens facing difficult or dangerous situations abroad.
Mr Ablakwa disclosed that more than 6,300 Ghanaians had been evacuated from various distress situations across the world since 2025.
He added that the ministry’s Consular and Humanitarian Bureau and Ghana’s 72 diplomatic missions worldwide remained active in monitoring the welfare of citizens within their areas of responsibility.
The missions, he said, were expected to keep track of developments affecting Ghanaians in their respective jurisdictions and areas where they also had responsibility for other countries.
Mr Ablakwa assured the public that the government would act swiftly to bring Ghanaians home if the need arose.
“If we have to step in and intervene and bring our nationals back home to safety, we will do that swiftly,” he said.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has directed all prospective parliamentary aspirants to immediately stop their campaign activities until the party announces official guidelines for its parliamentary primaries.
In a statement dated October 11, 2026, and signed by its General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the party disclosed that it had received several complaints about some members who had begun campaigning in various constituencies.
The NPP described the activities as contrary to its regulations and Code of Conduct, warning that they could create an unfair playing field and undermine unity and discipline within the party.
The directive covers all forms of campaign activities, including the mounting of posters, billboards and banners, as well as the organisation of rallies, meetings with polling station executives and constituency tours to solicit support.
The party has also prohibited the distribution of items or other inducements to delegates and party members, as well as paid media and social media advertisements promoting prospective candidates.
It further directed party officers at the polling station, electoral area, constituency, regional and national levels, including TESCON, to refrain from promoting any parliamentary aspirant on social media platforms such as Facebook, X and Instagram.
According to the statement, party officers are also prohibited from facilitating what the party described as premature parliamentary campaign activities.
The NPP warned that anyone who fails to comply with the directive will face disciplinary action, which could affect their eligibility to contest in the party’s parliamentary primaries.
The party added that it would announce the timetable and guidelines for its parliamentary processes in due course.
It has consequently directed constituency and regional executives to ensure strict compliance with the directive within their respective jurisdictions.
The statement concluded with an appeal to all party members to cooperate with the leadership.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Education has invited the leadership of the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to an urgent meeting to find a resolution to the ongoing strike by university administrators.
In a press statement dated October 11, 2026, and signed by the Ministry’s Press Secretary, Hashmin Mohammed, the Ministry indicated that the meeting would take place on Monday, October 12, 2026.
According to the statement, the meeting is aimed at promoting constructive dialogue between the parties to reach an amicable resolution of the industrial dispute.
The Ministry stated that the government remained committed to addressing the concerns of organised labour through established negotiation processes and constructive engagement.
It urged all parties to approach the meeting in good faith and with a sense of responsibility, considering the impact of the strike on students, university communities and the country as a whole.
The Ministry further called on GAUA’s leadership to take advantage of the meeting to engage meaningfully with the relevant stakeholders to resolve the impasse as soon as possible.
It expressed hope that the discussions would produce a positive outcome and allow academic and administrative activities to return to normal at affected tertiary institutions.
By: Jacob Aggrey
