President John Dramani Mahama has outlined government support for the families of two Ghanaians who died in New York, including assistance to enable a bereaved mother to travel to the United States to grieve her son’s death.
The President said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had facilitated the mother’s travel and provided support to the family following the death of her 15-year-old son, Jatvis Frimpong, in the Bronx.
Speaking upon his return from the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, President Mahama commended the ministry and Ghana’s diplomatic mission in New York for their interventions.
“But I want to commend the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their intervention in facilitating the travel of their mother to go and grieve her son’s death, and also the support that they gave,” he said.
He also praised the Deputy Minister, Gyakye Quayson, who was in charge while he was away, for supporting the bereaved family.
“While we were away, the Deputy Minister, Gyakye Quayson was in charge, and I think he discharged himself in terms of supporting the family,” he stated.
President Mahama further disclosed that Ghana’s mission in New York had visited the family to express condolences, while the Foreign Affairs Minister had directed the mission to provide additional assistance.
“Again, in New York, the mission visited the family and expressed condolences. And the minister has informed the mission to do whatever they can to support the family in this difficult time,” he said.
The President’s remarks come amid reports of two Ghanaian deaths in New York within days. The first involved 15-year-old Jatvis Frimpong, who was fatally shot in the Bronx while reportedly walking to school.
The second involved a 24-year-old Ghanaian man whose body, according to the President, was discovered at a dump site in New York.
“Just last, I think, two days ago, they’ve discovered another Ghanaian murdered. His body was found in a dump site. This is a 24-year-old man murdered,” President Mahama said.
He noted that the deaths were part of a wider concern about violence affecting Ghanaians in the United States and called for the circumstances surrounding the incidents to be established.
Regarding the Jatvis death, the President said the New York Police Department was investigating, urging the public not to draw conclusions before the investigation was completed.
The Ghanaian government’s response has included diplomatic engagement with the affected families, expressions of condolences and assistance to the bereaved mother as she travels to mourn her son.
