Ghana’s Foreign Minister Fires Back at US Senator, Demands Reparations Over Slave Trade
Accra, Ghana — A diplomatic row has erupted between Ghana and the United States after Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, issued a scathing response to criticism from U.S. Senator Jim Risch, reigniting calls for reparations over America's role in the transatlantic slave trade.
The dispute began when the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a post on social media, took aim at Ghana’s government for allegedly neglecting its financial obligations to American companies and taxpayers, while continuing to make larger debt payments to China. The post suggested that Ghana’s foreign minister should cancel his diplomatic visit to Washington and instead focus on settling the country’s debts.
“Instead of a trip to D.C., Ghana’s foreign minister should focus on honoring his government’s commitments to repay U.S. companies and the American taxpayers,” the tweet read. “We cannot keep subsidizing Ghana while it continues paying far larger debts to China.”
Minister Ablakwa responded swiftly and unapologetically, labeling the remarks as hypocritical and historically tone-deaf. In a strongly worded statement on X (formerly Twitter), he accused the U.S. of failing to acknowledge or atone for its own moral debts stemming from centuries of slavery.
“This is very rich coming from someone who refuses to advocate for reparations from the U.S. for its despicable role in the transatlantic slave trade,” Ablakwa wrote.
He further defended Ghana’s foreign policy independence, invoking the spirit of the country’s founding father, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and emphasizing that Ghana will not be dictated to by foreign powers.
“This is Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana — the first African nation to defeat colonialism and imperialism. We will not be told how to conduct our foreign policy,” he stated.
While acknowledging that Ghana does owe some money to American companies, Ablakwa argued the amounts are modest and do not warrant public shaming from U.S. officials. He added that any repayment would be made according to Ghana’s own economic recovery plan and priorities.
“Those measly debts, compared to what you owe us in reparations, will be settled when we deem it appropriate,” he said, stressing that the debt in question predates the newly elected Mahama administration.
The minister concluded his remarks by reiterating Ghana’s commitment to its international obligations, while highlighting the double standards often applied by Western countries when dealing with African nations.
“Unlike you, we take responsibility and honor our national commitments,” Ablakwa said.
The exchange marks a rare moment of public defiance from a senior African official toward Washington and taps into a broader movement across the continent seeking reparatory justice for the enduring impacts of slavery and colonialism. The clash also comes as Ghana navigates a fragile economic recovery, including ongoing debt restructuring and reforms aimed at stabilizing its economy.
This latest diplomatic spat underscores growing tensions between African nations and Western governments, particularly over debt diplomacy, economic sovereignty, and the long shadow of historical injustices.
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