Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has commended the Church of Pentecost for its intervention to assist more than 500 Ghanaians affected by recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The Minister expressed the government’s appreciation when he paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr. Eric Nyamekye, at the Church’s headquarters in Accra on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
Mr Ablakwa said the Church’s intervention, which included providing shelter, food, clothing and other forms of assistance, had been crucial in helping Ghanaians who were forced to flee their homes and businesses following the attacks.
Speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the government and the people of Ghana, the Minister praised the leadership of the Church in South Africa for its swift response to the plight of affected Ghanaians.
He specifically commended Apostle Bernard Boakye Anyimadu, National Head of the Church of Pentecost in South Africa, together with Apostle James Quaicoe, Area Head of Johannesburg and District Minister of Pretoria, and Pastor Senoo Godsway, District Minister of Kempton Park, for coordinating the relief efforts.
Mr Ablakwa noted that the Church’s intervention had been particularly important because Ghana operates only one diplomatic mission in South Africa, located in Pretoria, while the Church has branches across the country.
According to him, the Church’s extensive presence enabled it to reach affected Ghanaians in areas where diplomatic officials might not have been able to respond immediately.
The Minister also recalled the Church’s intervention during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, when its leadership and members assisted Ghanaian students and other nationals fleeing the conflict to cross into neighbouring countries, including Hungary and Romania.
He said the Church’s actions in both Ukraine and South Africa demonstrated the importance of institutions going beyond their traditional mandates to support Ghanaians during emergencies.
Mr Ablakwa said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was therefore interested in building a formal partnership with the Church to strengthen assistance to Ghanaians who find themselves in distress abroad, particularly in countries where Ghana does not have a diplomatic mission.
The proposed collaboration would leverage the Church’s presence in about 210 nations and territories to provide timely support to Ghanaian nationals during emergencies.
Responding, Apostle Dr. Eric Nyamekye expressed appreciation to the Minister for personally visiting the Church to acknowledge its efforts.
He described the gesture as meaningful and encouraging, saying the recognition from government would motivate the Church to continue supporting Ghanaians in distress wherever they might be.
Apostle Nyamekye proposed closer collaboration between the Church and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly in responding to emergencies involving Ghanaians abroad.
He said the Church’s extensive international network gave it the capacity to mobilise support quickly when Ghanaians faced emergencies in different parts of the world.
The Chairman stressed that the Church’s responsibility towards Ghanaians abroad went beyond spiritual ministry, adding that it was equally concerned about their welfare and safety.
He cited the Church’s interventions in Ukraine and South Africa as examples of its commitment to supporting Ghanaians and other people affected by crises.
Apostle Nyamekye also expressed the Church’s willingness to support government’s broader development and social interventions. He cited the Church’s initiative to construct prison facilities as part of efforts to complement government’s responsibility to address infrastructure needs within Ghana’s correctional system.
For his part, Mr Ablakwa said the Ministry was ready to deepen its engagement with the Church, noting that a structured partnership could strengthen Ghana’s consular outreach and improve the speed at which assistance is provided to citizens abroad.
He disclosed that the Ministry would engage Ghana’s Heads of Mission and other relevant stakeholders on the proposed partnership, with the possibility of formalising the arrangement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
According to the Minister, the proposed MoU would clearly define areas of cooperation and establish mechanisms for stronger coordination between Ghana’s diplomatic missions and the Church’s extensive international network.
The Minister’s visit, therefore, marks a potential step towards closer cooperation between government and faith-based institutions in protecting and supporting Ghanaians living or travelling abroad, particularly during periods of crisis.
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