Diplomacy Under Trump Turns Negative as Ghana Claps Back: “We Don’t Owe You a Dime”🧍🏾‍♂️🛑

Diplomacy Under Trump Turns Negative as Ghana Claps Back: “We Don’t Owe You a Dime”🧍🏾‍♂️🛑

Around the World.

The news as it trends.

What began as a diplomatic visit quickly escalated into a war of words between Ghana and the United States, after a U.S. senator publicly criticized Ghana’s debt obligations.

The clash has sparked outrage across the African continent and raised questions about the tone of U.S. foreign policy under the Trump-aligned Republican bloc.

In early July 2025, Ghanaian MP and ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, traveled to Washington, D.C., for a series of high-level meetings.

His agenda included talks with Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison M. Hooker and U.S. Ambassador Troy Damian Fitrell, focusing on trade, immigration, and the looming threat of U.S. visa sanctions against Ghanaian nationals.

But before the meetings could even conclude, U.S. Senator James Risch, a senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took to social media to criticize Ablakwa’s presence in D.C. In a post on X (formerly Twitter),

Risch wrote:

“Instead of a trip to D.C., Ghana’s foreign minister should focus on honoring his government’s commitments to repay U.S. companies and the American taxpayers. We cannot keep subsidizing Ghana while it continues paying far larger debts to China.”

The post ignited immediate backlash.

On July 4, 2025, Ablakwa issued a fiery response on his official X account, calling Risch’s remarks “hypocritical” and “an affront to Ghana’s sovereignty.”

He didn’t hold back:

“Let me be clear, those measly debts — compared to what you owe us in reparations — will be paid when we deem appropriate.”

He went on to remind critics that Ghana, the first African nation to gain independence from colonial rule, would not be dictated to by any foreign power.

“You will not be allowed to dictate to a sovereign country how we conduct our foreign policy — if you need to be reminded — this is Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana.”

Despite the noise, Ghana has been meeting its financial obligations.

The Ministry of Finance confirmed that the country has paid over US$1.17 billion in Eurobond debt since restructuring in October 2024.

The most recent payment of US$349.52 million was made on July 3, 2025, just a day before Ablakwa’s response.

Under the Mahama administration’s economic recovery plan, Ghana has committed to honoring its debts — but on its own terms.

Ablakwa’s message was clear: Ghana will not be bullied or shamed into submission by foreign lawmakers with selective outrage.

The diplomatic dust-up has since gone viral, with many Africans applauding Ghana’s firm stance.

As global power dynamics shift and African nations assert their sovereignty, this moment may be remembered as more than just a clapback—it’s a declaration of independence in the 21st century.

Ghana owes no apologies — and certainly not a dime.