The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Eric Nyamekye, to express appreciation for the Church’s support to stranded Ghanaians during recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The meeting, held on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at the Church’s Headquarters in Accra, also explored avenues for formal collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Church of Pentecost to provide timely assistance to Ghanaians in distress abroad.
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The Minister, on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the Government and people of Ghana, commended the Church for providing shelter, food, clothing and other support to more than 500 Ghanaians who were forced to flee their homes and businesses following the attacks.
He particularly commended Apostle Bernard Boakye Anyimadu, National Head of The Church of Pentecost in South Africa, and his leadership team, including Apostle James Quaicoe, Area Head of Johannesburg and District Minister of Pretoria, and Pastor Senoo Godsway, District Minister of Kempton Park, for coordinating the support.
Hon Ablakwa said the Church’s intervention was significant because Ghana operates only one diplomatic mission in South Africa, located in Pretoria, while The Church of Pentecost has branches across the country, enabling it to reach affected Ghanaians in locations that could be difficult for diplomatic officials to access promptly.
The Minister also recalled the Church’s intervention during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, when its members and leadership assisted Ghanaian students and other nationals fleeing the conflict to cross into neighbouring countries, including Hungary and Romania.
He said the recent intervention in South Africa demonstrated the importance of institutions and organisations going beyond their core mandates to support Ghanaians during times of crisis.
Apostle Dr Eric Nyamekye expressed appreciation for the Minister’s visit, describing the gesture of personally acknowledging the Church’s efforts as meaningful and encouraging.
He said the recognition from Government would motivate the Church to continue supporting Ghanaians in distress wherever they may be.
Apostle Nyamekye proposed greater collaboration between the Church and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing the Church’s presence in about 210 nations and territories as an important resource for supporting Ghanaians abroad during crises and emergencies.
He said the Church’s responsibility to Ghanaians abroad extends beyond spiritual ministry to include their welfare and safety, citing its interventions in Ukraine and South Africa.
He also expressed the Church’s willingness to support Government’s broader development and social interventions, including its initiative to construct prison facilities to complement Government’s efforts to address infrastructure needs within the correctional system.
Hon. Ablakwa said the Ministry was ready to deepen collaboration with the Church to complement its consular outreach and provide timely assistance to Ghanaians in distress abroad.
He disclosed that the Ministry would engage its Heads of Mission and other relevant stakeholders to explore formalising the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The proposed arrangement, he said, could define areas of cooperation and strengthen coordination between Ghana’s diplomatic missions and the Church’s international network.
The meeting ended with a shared commitment to explore practical mechanisms for formalising and strengthening the partnership between The Church of Pentecost and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the interest of Ghanaians abroad.
