Foreign Affairs Ministry Denies Ablakwa’s $38.2m Visa Allegations, Says They're Misleading

Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has categorically denied allegations of a $38.2 million agreement with Access Services Ghana Limited.

This follows claims made by North Tongu Member of Parliament (MP) Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament had alleged that, the Ministry signed a dubious contract with Access Services Ghana Limited for managing visa applications for dipmomatic missions abroad. 

Mr Ablakwa claimed that Access Services had no track record and the contract was awarded without approval from the Public Procurement Authority(PPA) and parliament.

However, in a fresh statement, the ministry has described the allegations as "largely incorrect and calculated to deliberately mislead the public."

Portions of the statement read: 

 "The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has been drawn to online publications by Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, on the above-mentioned subject.

 “The article purported to give details of an agreement between the Ministry and Access Services Ghana Limited (Access). The Ministry wishes to put across that the facts as purported in the said article are largely incorrect and calculated to deliberately mislead the public on the intent of the Ministry.”

The ministry added that their arrangement with Access aligns with global standards for visa application processing, where third-party visa application centres handle the receipts of applications.