Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has revealed that 55 Ghanaians have lost their lives in the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war after allegedly being recruited through criminal trafficking networks. In a Facebook post following his official visit to Kyiv, the Minister cited credible intelligence from Ukrainian authorities indicating that 1,780 Africans from 36 countries were trafficked into the conflict. Of these, 272 Ghanaians are believed to have been recruited since 2022, with 55 reported dead and two currently held as prisoners of war.
“As a responsible government, we cannot ignore these heartbreaking figures. They are not mere statistics—they represent human lives, the hopes of Ghanaian families, and the future of our nation,” he stated. Mr Ablakwa said the government would intensify public education to warn young people about the dangers of illegal recruitment schemes linked to the war.
“The Mahama Administration is determined to identify and dismantle all illegal recruitment schemes operating on the dark web within our jurisdiction. This is not our war, and we cannot allow our youth to be exploited as human shields,” he emphasised. During his visit, the Minister met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, and together they laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance.
He described their discussions as substantive, focusing on deepening bilateral relations. The Minister also noted that the two captured Ghanaians had urged young people not to be swayed by financial incentives to join the conflict, warning of the severe risks involved. His disclosure has reignited concerns about human trafficking networks that prey on vulnerable African youth with promises of lucrative opportunities abroad, only to send them into active war zones.
Source: Juliana Odame Asare
