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Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has taken a decisive step to reinforce his anti-corruption credentials by canceling questionable embassy contracts and pledging transparency in the management of foreign assets. This move comes after viral claims that he approved a $5.2 million renovation contract for Ghana’s Embassy in Benin, allegations he vehemently denied.
Ablakwa has protected taxpayers by canceling a $3.5 million single-source “midnight” contract to renovate Ghana’s embassy in Abidjan, awarded on November 7, 2024. “For the record, I have not awarded any embassy renovation contract anywhere in the world. On the contrary, I have rather protected taxpayers by canceling a $3.5 million single-source midnight contract to renovate our embassy in Abidjan,” Ablakwa stated on his Facebook page.
The decision to cancel the contract is a significant step towards transparency and accountability in the management of foreign assets. Embassy projects have been at the center of public debate, with past controversies including a £12 million contract in Oslo, Norway, which sparked political uproar over procurement irregularities in 2016. Civil society groups also raised questions about the cost of renovating Ghana’s missions in Washington D.C. and New York, citing inflated pricing and lack of transparency in 2021. The Abidjan contract had itself been flagged by critics as another example of “single-source procurement abuse” at the twilight of the previous administration.
By canceling the Abidjan contract, Ablakwa has signaled a policy shift away from opaque contracting practices, which have historically eroded public trust in the Foreign Ministry. His stewardship is guided by President Mahama’s Reset Agenda, prioritizing fiscal discipline, efficiency, and accountability in the use of state resources. Ablakwa assured Ghanaians that he would never betray their trust, saying, “I shall never betray the trust of the Ghanaian people as we work tirelessly, and with integrity, to achieve President Mahama’s Reset Agenda.”
By; epos
