The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced plans to name one of the facilities in its new ministerial block after the late Ambassador James Victor Gbeho in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Ghana’s diplomacy and public service.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed the decision while delivering a tribute at the state funeral of the former Foreign Affairs Minister and former President of the ECOWAS Commission on Friday, July 31.
According to Ablakwa, the decision was taken jointly with the management of the Ministry to immortalise Ambassador Gbeho’s legacy, which he described as one of the most distinguished in Ghana’s diplomatic history.
“In recognition of Victor Gbeho’s remarkable service and contribution to the nation, I, along with the management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have decided to name one of our facilities in our new ministerial block after him to immortalise his memory,” the minister announced.
Ablakwa said Ambassador Gbeho’s influence extended beyond Ghana, noting that his decades of service at the national, regional and international levels had left an enduring mark on diplomacy, peacebuilding and public administration.
He described the late diplomat’s life as a powerful example of disciplined and principled public service, saying his career demonstrated that patriotism must be expressed through competence, integrity and sacrifice.
Paying his final respects, Ablakwa said Ghana had lost “an exceptional statesman,” Africa had lost “a devoted peacemaker,” and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had lost one of its finest sons.
Although the veteran diplomat had passed on, the minister said his legacy would continue to shape Ghana’s diplomatic service through the institutions he strengthened, the diplomats he mentored and the peace initiatives he championed.Ghana tourism promotion
Ambassador James Victor Gbeho died on June 14, 2026, at the age of 91, ending a diplomatic and political career that spanned more than six decades.
Born on January 12, 1935, in Keta in the Volta Region, Ambassador Gbeho served as Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1997 to 2001 under former President Jerry John Rawlings. He later represented the Anlo Constituency in Parliament, served as foreign policy adviser to the late President John Evans Atta Mills and held diplomatic postings in China, India, Nigeria, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, helping to advance Ghana’s foreign policy and international relations