Ghana Won’t Bow – Minister

Ghana’s foreign policy still remains nonaligned and independent, creating the avenue to be able to do business with any country that is ready to respect the laws of the land, Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa has disclosed.

According to him, the country cannot afford to align itself with any country and consequently forfeit the fruits of dealing with another country on business levels, saying all countries are free to do business with Ghana anytime, provided they are ready to abide by the country’s laws and statutes.

He was reacting to reports that the government was planning to deal with a Chinese company in the disposal of Kosmos Energy shares, which by law recognizes the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) as having the first right of purchase, and which caused the government to step in to block the sale of the shares to an American company, ExxonMobil.

Speaking to The Herald in an exclusive interview, Mr. Ablakwa debunked the speculations, saying there was no point in dealing with some other company if there is another one offering better returns.

He said the national interest was paramount and that informed any decision the government took and would take, especially relating to the country’s oil find.

Alluding to the Cold War era where developing countries were virtually barred from dealing with the other bloc if they happen to be in association with one bloc, he said those days were over and Ghana was free to do business with anyone it deems fit.

On the recent denial of visas to some state officials, the chairman of the GNPC, Ato Ahwoi, the Energy Minister Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei, and the danger of a diplomatic row, the deputy minister described it as unfortunate and linked it to the government’s move to ensure that the right thing was done in the disposal of Kosmos Energy shares.

Asked whether this was not going to affect the cordial relationship between the United States and Ghana, Mr. Ablakwa gave an emphatic no, saying the issue was more of corporate machination rather than a government move. He said Presidents Obama and John Mills remained very good friends, adding that the relationship is bound by mutual trust.

“On the contrary, this is the era we can all witness the increased presence of American businesses, according to records at the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and this shows there is no problem at all”, he said.

He intimated that some right wing politicians in America were aggrieved by the government’s decision to stick to the rules in the Kosmos Energy share disposal brouhaha, and have resorted to discrediting and belittling achievements of Ghanaian government in foreign newspapers.

Mr. Ablakwa revealed how his outfit had to, in some cases, write a rejoinder to the Wallstreet Journal and the New York Times refuting wild and unfounded allegations about the Ghanaian economy.

He completely rejected the tagging of Ghana as the ninth worst economy in the world as reported in the Forbes Magazine, calling it propaganda piece by corporate bodies in America who are bent on having their way with respect to Ghana’s oil.