Accra:Retired Ghanaian diplomat, Ambassador Alex Ntim Abankwa, recently shared his experiences of being unexpectedly recruited into Ghana's Foreign Service under the leadership of the country's first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. At the time of his recruitment, Ambassador Abankwa was employed as a soil science officer at Nyankpala.
According to Ghana Web, Ambassador Abankwa recounted receiving a surprising message via the police, instructing him to report to Accra. Unaware of the reason for the authorities' interest, he admitted feeling scared and confused by the unexpected summons.
Ambassador Abankwa was among the initial group of university graduates selected in 1959 and 1960 to join the Foreign Service. At that time, many graduates were expected to pursue teaching roles to meet the demand for educators in the newly established trust schools across Ghana. However, Ambassador Abankwa's path diverged as he was chosen for a diplomatic role.
He described his initial uncertainty about the summons, consulting both his brother-in-law, the District Commissioner in Tamale, and his uncle in Accra, neither of whom could provide clarity. The following day, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he learned that his scientific expertise was needed for preparing scientific conferences, leading to his selection for a diplomatic career.
Ambassador Abankwa's diplomatic journey began with a posting to India as a cadet, where he worked in the Indian Foreign Service for about a year. After his return to Ghana, he served at the Foreign Affairs Ministry before training further in the Soviet Union. His subsequent postings included Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Washington, DC, in the United States.
His tenure in Washington ended in 1966 following a military coup that ousted President Nkrumah, impacting his Foreign Service role upon his return to Ghana. Due to his specialized training in Russia and India, Ambassador Abankwa was transferred from the Foreign Service to the Home Service, reflecting the changes that often follow political upheaval.