Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ghana)

The Minister for Foreign Affairs is a government official responsible for overseeing the foreign policy and international diplomacy of Ghana. Currently Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet. Under pre-1992 military regimes in Ghana, the title; minister has been replaced with commissioner or secretary.

During the government rule of Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party between January 2017 and January 2025, the ministry was combined with other portfolios to form the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration under Shirley Ayorkor Botchway. On 18 September 2025, the ministry awarded diplomatic passport to the following Ghanaians, Ibrahim Mahama, Wade Maya, Rocky Dawuni, Anita Erskine and Dentaa.[1]

List of ministers

Ministers of External Affairs

Number Minister Took office Left office Government Party
1 Kwame Nkrumah (MP) 1957 1958 Nkrumah government Convention Peoples' Party
2 Kojo Botsio (MP) 1958 1959
3 Ako Adjei (MP) 1959 1960
4 Imoru Egala (MP)[2] 1960 1961

Ministers of Foreign Affairs

Number Minister Took office Left office Government Party
1 Ako Adjei (MP) 1961 1962 Nkrumah government Convention Peoples' Party
2 Kwame Nkrumah 1962 1963
3 Kojo Botsio (MP) 1963 1965
4 Alex Quaison-Sackey 1965 24 February 1966
5 Lt. Gen. Joseph A. Ankrah 1966 1967 National Liberation Council Military government
6 John Willie Kofi Harlley 1967 1968
7 Patrick Dankwa Anin (MP) 1969 1969 Busia government Progress Party
8 Victor Owusu (MP) 1969 1969
9 Patrick Dankwa Anin (MP) 1969 1969
10 Victor Owusu (MP) 1969 1971
11 William Ofori Atta (MP) 1971 13 January 1972
12 Major General Nathan Apea Aferi 1972 1972 National Redemption Council Military government
13 Lt. Colonel Kwame R.M. Baah 1972 1975
14 Colonel Roger Felli 1975 4 June 1979 Supreme Military Council
15 Mrs. Gloria Amon Nikoi[3] 1979 24 September 1979 Armed Forces Revolutionary Council
16 Isaac Chinebuah 1979 31 December 1981 Limann government Peoples National Party
17 Obed Asamoah 1982 6 January 1993 Provisional National Defence Council Military government
18 7 January 1993 1997 Rawlings government National Democratic Congress
19 Kwamena Ahwoi
(acting)[2]
1997 1997
20 James Victor Gbeho 1997 6 January 2001
21 Hackman Owusu-Agyeman (MP) 2001 2003 Kufuor government New Patriotic Party
22 Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (MP) 2003 July 2007
23 Akwasi Osei-Adjei (MP)[4] 2007 7 January 2009
24 Muhammad Mumuni 2009 24 July 2012 Mills government National Democratic Congress
24 July 2012 6 January 2013 Mahama government
25 Hanna Tetteh (MP)[5] 30 January 2013 6 January 2017
26 Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (MP)[6] 28 January 2017 6 January 2025 Akufo-Addo government New Patriotic Party
27 Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa 7 February 2025[7][8] incumbent Mahama government from 2025 National Democratic Congress (Ghana)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Wode Maya, Rocky Dawumi, Dentaa, two others granted diplomatic passports". Citi Newsroom. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Foreign ministers E-K". rulers.org. B. Schemmel. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  3. ^ Mrs. Gloria Amon Nikoi was one of several senior civil servants who acted as ministers of state during the short rule of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council between 4 June 1979 and 24 September 1979.
  4. ^ "Full list of Ministers and Regional Ministers out". General News of Tuesday, 31 July 2007. Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  5. ^ "Parliament approves first batch of Ministers". General news. Ghana Home Page. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Nana Addo swears in 12 ministers". Ghanaweb. Ghanaweb. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  7. ^ Iddi Yire (8 February 2025). "Mahama swears in 17 new Ministers, declaring no room for pomposity in his government". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  8. ^ "Mahama swears in Sam George, Ablakwa, Akandoh, 14 other ministers". Modern Ghana. 7 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.