The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has urged African countries to recognise immigrants as contributors to national development rather than threats to economic progress.
He said migration could be effectively managed through appropriate regulations while respecting regional free movement protocols and protecting the rights of people travelling across borders.
Mr Ablakwa made the remarks during an interview on TV3 on Saturday, October 10, 2026, while commenting on renewed tensions in South Africa following developments surrounding an apex court decision on the rights of asylum seekers.
“We should not see immigrants and people who travel using our free movement protocols as people who are detrimental to our national progress. They are not parasites,” he said.
The Foreign Affairs Minister argued that African countries could establish effective migration management systems without undermining the rights and freedoms of travellers.
“We can have an arrangement where we have regulated migration, where the free movement protocols are respected, where the rights of all persons are not violated just because they are travellers,” he added.
Ablakwa reaffirms commitment to African integration
Describing himself as a perpetual optimist about Africa’s future, Mr Ablakwa expressed confidence in the continent’s integration agenda and its potential to drive economic transformation.
He reiterated his belief in the vision of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who championed the political unification of African countries as a pathway to economic emancipation and collective development.
According to the Minister, although Africa has made progress in overcoming the effects of colonialism, imperialism and political subjugation, the continent must intensify efforts to address persistent poverty and economic underdevelopment.
He suggested that stronger regional cooperation and a commitment to the principles of African integration would be essential to achieving these goals.
Mr Ablakwa’s remarks highlight the need for African governments to balance national migration policies with regional commitments to free movement, human rights and shared economic progress.
