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Open Letter To Ghana's Foreign Minister

Sat, 1 Oct 2005 Source: Salam Mahama

Dear Sir,

AKUFFO ADDO SHOULD PROVE THE VALUE OF CITIZENSHIP TO US: Death Ghanaians in The Gambia

You arrived in the Gambia to sort clarity regarding the brutal cold-blooded murder of Ghanaians in The Gambia. You have returned and the issue went dead, is that the love with which you intend to govern us? Please wake up.

Your visit has not even put the numbers right, you only reported what the Gambian Government said, would you have accepted those figures if the PNDC/NDC told you that?

The Gambian Government has promised to investigate the issue, for how long are we going to wait?

Whatever their source of information, the Nigerian Government through their mission in Gambia has sent condolences to the Ghanaian Community in The Gambia on the lost of 40 Ghanaians. They indicated that they (Nigerians) lost 10 and Senegal 2. The meeting was held in The Gambia and was organised with the help of the Ghanaian mission in Senegal.

The Friday, September 19, 2005 of Ghanaian chronicle also reported that one of the survivors managed to steal a call to his wife and one Mr Kyere and indicated that he is being held by the police. (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=90483). What is Nana doing to get him others being held released?

Why should we allow diplomacy to lead to unnecessary deaths and suffering of our people? Do you expect the Gambian Government to tell you the plain truth? Why are you hiding the facts?

At the time of writing, the Ghanaian Government knows the number of the dead and knows the role of the Gambian Government in the issue. The Ghana Government equally knows that the Gambian Government is still keeping at least 2 of the survivors who witnessed the murders and were handed to The Gambian Government by the Ghanaian community in Gambia but nothing is being done to save their lives.

Nana, kindly come clean, this case will to a great extent contribute to the attainment of your aspiration as a president of Ghana. You and your government for at least once must take this opportunity to prove to Ghanaians what the value of their citizenship is. Do not hide under the excuse of international diplomacy to let this matter die without answers to the relevant questions.

I hope all peace loving Gambians and Ghanaians with help of the democratic press will help get the facts out and save the lives of those who are being held.

We have credible information that the families of some of the victims and well wishers are planning to organise hunger strikes and demonstrations in protest against the apathy of the Ghana government in seeking justice and securing the safety of a few victims that are possibly still alive. Nana don?t let us down.



Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.

Columnist: Salam Mahama