Mahama Spoke Truth to Power on Gaza Crisis – Ibn Chambas

October 4, 2025 

 Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, a Ghanaian lawyer, diplomat, politician and academic, has commended President John Dramani Mahama for speaking truth to power with his strong remarks on Gaza at the United Nations General Assembly.

President Mahama issued a forceful call for an end to what he described as crimes being committed against Palestinians in Gaza during his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, urging world leaders not to shy away from naming the atrocities for what they are.

Speaking at the General Assembly, President Mahama criticized the reluctance of the global body to confront the crisis directly. "For nearly two years, and for the fear of reprisal, we here in this General Assembly have been playing hide-and-seek with language to find the right words to help us avoid or excuse what we all know is taking place there. But here's the thing, it doesn't matter what you call it: if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, well then… It must be a duck. The crimes in Gaza must stop," he declared.

The Ghanaian leader said the suffering of Palestinians could no longer be ignored, stressing that "hundreds of thousands of innocent people" were enduring "collective punishment and forced starvation for no reason other than the fact that they are Palestinian."

Reaffirming Ghana's recognition of Palestine since 1988, President Mahama reiterated his support for a two-state solution, rejecting claims that it would amount to rewarding Hamas. Instead, he argued, it offered the best chance of delivering justice and relief to civilians caught in the conflict.

Mahama also condemned the recent decision to deny visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation, describing it as a "bad precedent" and a direct threat to the integrity of the UN system.

While he acknowledged broader global challenges—including rising nationalism, economic instability, and the erosion of multilateralism—President Mahama warned that Gaza remained a moral test for the world's leaders.

Speaking on Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 4, Dr Chambas said, "The address was very effectively and eloquently delivered, it also covered all the essential points that a speech at that stage should, a platform where heads of state come to articulate their vision and the role their continent can play in shaping a just world. President Mahama did us proud as Ghanaians, in the effective manner he spoke on national, continental, and global issues."

Specifically reacting to the comment on Gaza, he said, "He was speaking truth to power. Gaza and atrocities being committed there amount to total undermining of international legalities."

Dr Chambas, who has served in various high-level diplomatic positions including as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, praised the President's courage in addressing the issue directly at the global forum.