Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah, a Ghanaian media personality, has boldly fired shots at the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for attacking American senators on social media.
He alleged that Ablakwa’s undiplomatic behaviour is partly to blame for the US’s new visa restrictions.
The United States government has revised its visa reciprocity policy for Ghana. The revision sees a reduction in both the validity period and the number of entries permitted for most non-immigrant visa categories.
Under the US’s new guidelines, Ghanaian nationals applying for business and tourism visas (B-class) will now be issued single-entry visas valid for just three months.
Speaking on his “For the Records” show on July 9, 2025, stated, “Now Americans are saying all non-immigrant visas will be limited to just three months with single entry because of Okudzeto Ablakwa,” Afrifa-Mensah said.
“Today, he is acting as Foreign Affairs Minister on social media, attacking American senators. But someone of his diplomatic standing shouldn’t speak carelessly. Even if you are a Foreign Affairs Minister, you are not on the same level as senators of other nations.
Okatakyie added, “He is on social media responding to everyone and making calls at the embassy, is that his work?”
“One of the people who will destroy Mahama’s government is Okudzeto Ablakwa,” he cautioned.
His comments come following Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, tackling Senator James E Risch, a top-ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Senator James E Risch had earlier told Ablakwa to focus on his government commitments to repay U.S. companies.
According to the US Senator, the USA cannot keep subsidising Ghana while the country keeps paying far larger debts to China.
In a post on a social media page on X, Senator James E Risch criticised Ghana’s approach to debt servicing. He wrote, “Instead of a trip to D.C., Ghana’s foreign minister should focus on honouring his government’s commitments to repay U.S. companies and the American taxpayers.
We cannot keep subsidising Ghana while it continues paying far larger debts to China”.
However, Ablakwa in his response fired shots at the US senator over his refusal to engage in the same advocacy for the payment of reparations by the US for its despicable and condemnable role in slavery.
In a post on X Ablakwa stated, “This is very rich coming from someone who refuses to engage in same advocacy for the payment of reparations by the US for its despicable and condemnable role in slavery.
You will not be allowed to dictate to a sovereign country on how we conduct our foreign policy — if you need to be reminded — this is Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana — the first African nation to defeat colonialism and imperialism”.
He added, “Let me be clear, those measly debts compared to what you owe us in reparations would be paid when we deem appropriate based on our prudent economic recovery program — even though the debt was not created by the new Mahama Administration. Unlike you, we take responsibility and honour our national obligations”.
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