Stop tweeting and brief Parliament on South Africa situation — Patrick Boamah to Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, has urged the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to appear before Parliament and provide an update on developments involving Ghanaians living in South Africa.

Mr. Boamah argued that issues with potential diplomatic implications should be addressed through formal parliamentary channels rather than social media platforms, stressing that lawmakers require direct access to information to effectively perform their oversight role.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, he expressed concern that the normal parliamentary process of submitting questions to ministers and waiting for responses may not be adequate in urgent situations.

He warned that Parliament must remain proactive in addressing matters that could affect relations between Ghana and South Africa.

“Are we going to wait till the unfortunate happens, that diplomatic relationship between South Africa and us is severed? No, we don’t want that to happen,” he stated.

The Okaikwei Central legislator also criticised what he described as the Foreign Affairs Minister’s preference for communicating through social media, insisting that Parliament should be the first point of engagement on matters of national concern.

“So if the minister is in a country, like he always rushes to the House to brief us on visas and what have you, he should come to the floor. He should stop tweeting and posting. We are the people’s representatives,” he said.

Mr. Boamah further noted that Members of Parliament have a duty to represent the interests of all their constituents, including those residing outside Ghana.

“The people in South Africa, they have reps in the chamber. If the person is from Takoradi, it’s the person’s MP. If the person is from Abeka, it’s the person’s MP,” he noted.

He added that a formal briefing would equip lawmakers with the necessary information to engage affected constituents and support efforts to address any challenges confronting Ghanaians in South Africa.

“So we’ll find a way to even reach out to our constituents out there to help solve some of the matters that we are being confronted with,” he said.