Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, has called on Ghanaians to support efforts to strengthen the local economy and create more opportunities at home to reduce the pressure on citizens to seek better living conditions abroad.
He has also urged successful Ghanaians in the diaspora to consider returning home to invest in businesses and create employment opportunities, particularly for the youth.
Speaking on TV3’s The Key Points on Saturday, November 7, Smith said building a stronger economy would enable more Ghanaians to live and work in their own country.
“We need to help Ghana become economically strong so that we can create opportunities for people to live better lives here,” he said.
His comments come amid growing concerns over the safety of Ghanaians in the United States following the recent deaths of two Ghanaian nationals in the Bronx, New York.
Ambassador cautions Ghanaians over choice of residence abroad
Smith also advised Ghanaians travelling to the United States to exercise caution when choosing where to live, noting that although Ghana’s Embassy was expected to support citizens in the country, it could not always monitor the circumstances and locations of every Ghanaian resident.
He said the Embassy had raised concerns with the US State Department over possible links between bullying and the recent killings.
He added that the safety of Ghanaians abroad remained a major concern and urged citizens to be mindful of their surroundings.
The Ambassador also disclosed that his son had experienced bullying at school in the United States, prompting him to formally report the matter to the school authorities.
He said he had warned the school to address the situation or risk having his son withdrawn.
Victor Smith raises concerns over racism and bullying
Smith further expressed concern about the persistence of racial discrimination in the United States, arguing that racism remained a reality despite global efforts to address it.
“Nobody can convince me that racism doesn’t exist in America; it exists. It still exists. My son has been tormented. I asked him to report it to the authorities; it got me very worried, and I expressed worry to the Principal,” he said.
He noted that bullying was not an isolated experience, adding that he had personally encountered similar treatment and that his son had also been affected.
“This kind of bullying is no news at all. Personally, I’ve experienced it, my son. They do that. I don’t know why they do it. But the most painful part is that usually it’s black people doing it to black people,” he said.
According to him, his son was expected to adopt American slang and speech patterns immediately after arriving at school, with the experience leaving some African children feeling unwelcome and isolated.
“They wanted him to speak with American slang on day one. And they make you feel just like unwanted. They make the kids feel lonely,” he added.
Two Ghanaians killed in the Bronx
The Ambassador’s concerns follow the deaths of 24-year-old Joseph Owusu and 15-year-old Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong in separate incidents in the Bronx.
Owusu, a Ghanaian caregiver who had reportedly been missing for about two weeks, was found dead at a dumpsite in New York.
Surveillance footage shared by American news outlet ABC7 on November 6, 2026, reportedly showed two individuals removing a large black duffel bag containing his body from the boot of a white saloon car.
The footage showed the individuals dragging the bag onto the pavement before driving away. On the following day, another person was captured placing the bag on a metal stretcher and wheeling it away.
Owusu’s body was later discovered at the dumpsite by a man searching for scrap metal.
His brother, Kojo Yeboah, has appealed for justice, saying the family is struggling to come to terms with his death.
“I need justice for Joseph. I want the truth to come out because my brother didn’t deserve to die the way he did. He’s only 24. He had a lot of living to do. I cried till my nose was bleeding because I couldn’t eat,” he said.
Ghana’s diplomatic mission in New York has confirmed Owusu’s identity and disclosed that an autopsy was underway, although the cause of death had not been established.
Frimpong, on the other hand, was shot on the morning of Thursday, October 29, while walking to school in the Bronx. He later died at St Barnabas Hospital.
Mahama calls for action on gun violence in the US
President John Dramani Mahama has also called on the United States to address gun violence and the ease of access to firearms following Frimpong’s killing.
Speaking at a meet-the-press session with the Presidential Press Corps at Jubilee House on Thursday, November 5, the President expressed concern that the 15-year-old had been in the United States for barely a year before his death.
Mahama identified gun violence and access to firearms as major issues requiring attention in American society.
He also raised concerns about mental health challenges and the pressures of modern living, noting that these could contribute to unpredictable acts of violence.
The President said the circumstances surrounding Frimpong’s death remained under investigation, although some accounts had suggested possible bullying.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny disclosed on Monday, November 2, that three hooded individuals wearing surgical masks chased the teenager and shot him before picking up the shell casings and leaving on a subway train.
Investigators were considering robbery, mistaken identity and possible bullying at school as potential motives. Police had not publicly identified a suspect or confirmed the motive.
Mahama also said Ghana’s diplomatic mission in New York had visited Frimpong’s family and had been directed to provide the necessary assistance.
The government has facilitated the travel of the teenager’s mother to New York to mourn her son, with the Foreign Affairs Ministry indicating that it is covering the cost of her trip.
New York police have appealed to anyone with information about Frimpong’s killing to contact Crime Stoppers on 1-800-577-TIPS.
By:Rachael Djabakie