Ghana has lost 62 of its citizens in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, while 15 others have been declared missing and three are being held as prisoners of war by Ukrainian authorities, Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed.
According to the Minister, the figures represent an increase in the number of Ghanaians affected by the conflict, raising concerns about the safety of nationals allegedly recruited to fight on the Russian side.
Mr Ablakwa made the disclosure over the weekend when he appeared on Joy FM’s current affairs programme, Newsfile, where he also responded to allegations of financial impropriety involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
“Now 62 Ghanaians have died, 15 are missing and we have three prisoners of war,” he revealed.
The United States Department of State’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report also raised concerns about the recruitment of Ghanaians to fight for the Russian military in Ukraine.
According to the report, observers indicated that some Ghanaians had been fraudulently recruited with promises of lucrative employment opportunities in the security and agricultural sectors, only to be drawn into the Russian military.
Ukraine Promises to Release Prisoners
The Minister disclosed that the Ukrainian government had agreed in principle to release the three Ghanaian prisoners of war, following diplomatic engagements between Accra and Kyiv.
He explained that Ukrainian authorities were awaiting a meeting with President John Dramani Mahama, before proceeding with their release.
“The Ukrainians have told us that they will hand them over. They’re just waiting for a meeting with President Mahama and they will hand them over,” he stated.
Mr Ablakwa recalled his visit to Ukraine, during which he met President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ghanaian prisoners of war.
According to him, the visit followed reports that some Ghanaians had been lured into joining Russian forces and subsequently captured by Ukrainian troops.
He said Ukrainian authorities had acknowledged Ghana’s intervention, describing the country as the first African nation to visit its citizens being held as prisoners of war.
The Minister maintained that the government’s intervention demonstrated its commitment to protecting Ghanaians abroad, particularly those caught in armed conflicts.
Over 6,000 Ghanaians Evacuated
Beyond the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Mr Ablakwa disclosed that the government, working with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) had facilitated the evacuation of more than 6,000 Ghanaians from various countries.
He mentioned South Africa, Latvia, Nigeria, Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Netherlands among countries where Ghanaian nationals had received evacuation assistance.
He cited the case of Ghanaian student, Nana Agyei, who was killed in Latvia, explaining that he personally travelled there to engage the country’s leadership over the incident.
The Minister said an inquiry had been instituted and that Ghana continued to demand justice for the deceased student and his family.
South African Evacuation Cost GH¢49.7m
Turning to allegations surrounding the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, Mr Ablakwa rejected suggestions that the exercise had been used to misappropriate public funds.
He disclosed that 1,964 Ghanaians were evacuated between May 27 and September 4, 2026 at a reported cost of GH¢49.7 million.
According to him, the government contributed approximately GH¢33 million, while Engineers and Planners donated GH¢16 million towards the humanitarian operation.
The Minister explained that the evacuation followed renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa, including an assault on a Ghanaian national, Emmanuel Asamoah.
He said the exercise involved 15 evacuation operations, initially using chartered aircraft before switching to commercial airlines.
Mr Ablakwa maintained that every evacuated Ghanaian, including children, received GH¢5,000 as a reintegration allowance and GH¢500 for transportation.
He said the ministry had submitted flight manifests, boarding passes, airline receipts, allowance payment records and other expenditure documents to Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
“There are no ghosts anywhere. Real human beings,” he stated, rejecting suggestions that the ministry had inflated the number of beneficiaries.
Minister Requests Independent Audit
Mr Ablakwa revealed that he had formally requested the Auditor-General to audit the South African evacuation and other evacuation exercises undertaken since 2017.
He said the request, contained in a letter dated September 17, 2026, was intended to ensure independent scrutiny of the expenditure.
The Minister further claimed that he had rejected an offer of GH¢20 million from MTN, arguing that the government wanted to demonstrate Ghana’s capacity to protect its citizens without external financial assistance.
He maintained that the evacuation was motivated by humanitarian considerations rather than personal financial gain.
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