By: Hannah Dadzie
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced the establishment of a special department within Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad to prioritize the needs of Ghanaian students. According to Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa, Student Desks have been set up in 11 countries with a high concentration of Ghanaian students.
In a Facebook post on Monday, February 17, 2025, the Minister listed the diplomatic missions where these Student Desks have been created. These are Abidjan, Beijing, Belgrade, Cotonou, Havana, Lomé, London, Moscow, Rabat, Rome, and Ottawa. He stated that this initiative is a pilot phase, with plans to expand it to all Ghanaian diplomatic missions.
“The creation of this special department will not incur any additional cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer, nor will it require new recruitment, as it relies on the reassignment of consular staff,” Mr. Ablakwa explained.
He further stated that embassy officials responsible for these Student Desks are required to submit monthly reports to the Consular and Humanitarian Affairs Bureau, which will then forward them to the Foreign Minister.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring that Ghanaian students studying abroad, especially those on government scholarships are no longer left stranded or neglected when they require urgent assistance.
“This initiative will help address key concerns such as fee facilitation, immigration support, medical emergencies, verification of academic records, housing and accommodation support, evacuations, and legal aid,” Mr Ablakwa said,
According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, more institutional reforms will follow.
