Ace journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr has sent a word of caution to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa amid calls by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for his dismissal over alleged financial irregularities in the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
Pratt believes the minister's approach to handling issues within the Foreign Affairs Ministry exposes him to unnecessary public scrutiny and could have consequences for him.
Speaking on Metro TV's Good Morning Ghana on November 4, 2026, the Managing Editor of The Insight Newspaper said Ablakwa should allow officials and departments within the ministry to perform their respective duties instead of personally taking the lead in addressing every issue.
Watch as 'embattled' Ablakwa receives standing ovation at Canada's Parliament
He argued that the Foreign Affairs Minister occupies a significant position in government and must be mindful of the responsibilities that come with the office.
"I have a little advice for the minister himself. It's a huge position and comes with huge responsibility... And anybody occupying that position ought to take steps, take steps to distance himself from the potential fallout of some administrative actions", he noted.
According to him, the ministry has a clear administrative structure, including deputy ministers, chief directors and departmental heads, who should be allowed to handle matters within their respective areas of responsibility.
"That is why in the ministry, you have a minister, you have Deputies, you have Chief Directors, you have Directors for different desks. There are so many departments in that ministry. The ministers should allow the departments to function and the officers to function.
"The minister is the last resort. When everything has gone haywire, when nothing has been solved, that's when the minister starts to think," he said.
Pratt questioned why Ablakwa appeared to be at the forefront of public communication on issues concerning the ministry, arguing that such an approach could make him the immediate target of criticism whenever questions arise.
He said the ministry's public relations department and other responsible officers should ordinarily handle communication on administrative matters, leaving the minister to intervene when necessary.
"Ministers are public relations officers. And yet, it is always the minister who is standing there, ready to face the storm. What is your public relations department supposed to do?" he asked.
He maintained that allowing the relevant officials to handle such matters would help protect ministers from being drawn into controversies arising from routine administrative decisions.
According to Pratt, the situation reflects a problem in government, where ministers increasingly take responsibility for public communication that should ordinarily be handled by departments and agencies.
He called for proper training and orientation for ministers after their appointments, arguing that political loyalty and campaign contributions should not be the only considerations in preparing them for public office.
"Just throwing them into the crowd doesn't help the ministers. It doesn't help the government. It doesn't help the country. It doesn't help anybody," he said.
Pratt's comments come amid growing pressure on Ablakwa following demands by the NPP Youth Wing for President John Dramani Mahama to remove him from office.
The party has accused the minister of failing to properly account for expenditure on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, questioning the reported GH¢49.72 million cost of the exercise.
The NPP has demanded an independent audit of the expenditure and the publication of supporting invoices and payment records, as well as investigations into claims surrounding the alleged sale of diplomatic and service passports.
The party's National Youth Organiser, Abanga Fuseini Yakubu, led protesters in an Accra demonstration on November 3, 2026, during which they presented a petition containing their demands to the Presidency.
See the video below:
Let your subordinates work! - Kwesi Pratt sends a word of caution to Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa #GoofMorningGhana #MetroTV https://t.co/SM9Dem0bsq
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