African leaders must stop attending foreign trade summits - Ablakwa

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Ghanaian lawmaker, has urged African leaders to stop travelling to other continents to attend trade summits.

He says it is embarrassing that African leaders prioritize attending trade summits outside the continent instead of organizing one for themselves.

“I want to use this platform to urge African Leaders to stop travelling to Europe, Asia and America for these trade summits. This must not be our priority."

As ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, I get very embarrassed when African leaders will not meet and organize a single intra-Africa Trade Summit in Africa but they are quick to gather at foreign Trade Summits.

The latest one was the Britain – Africa trade Summit and you saw African Leaders rush to London in their numbers.

Post-Brexit, how does Africa submit itself for exploitation? They don’t even meet to take a common position. They rush there,” he lamented

The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs made this call at a forum held at the Ghana Institute of Journalism to commemorate the 54th year after the overthrow of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

The event was held on the theme “Ghana: 54 Years After the Overthrow of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah”.

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was ousted from office while on a state visit to Hanoi in North Vietnam by Col. E.K. Kotoka on February 24th, 1966.