Ablakwa drops fresh revelations in US$38.2 m visa processing scandal as Foreign Ministry faces scrutiny

As the Foreign Ministry faces mounting pressure over the ongoing US$38.2 million visa processing scandal, new internal memos reveal deep-seated concerns within the Ministry regarding the controversial midnight contract with Access Citizens, Mr Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa has revealed.

According to the  National Democratic Congress’ Member of Parliament for North Tongu, this contract, which has been widely criticized for its lack of transparency, has sparked outrage following the release of internal communications from top officials cautioning against its potential impact.

He said the  leaked memos highlight several key concerns raised by high-ranking Ministry officials, who warned the Foreign Minister of serious red flags.

Mr Ablakwa in a Facebook post dated October 25, 2024 raised these questions.

Among these are potential legal liabilities, including a significant risk of judgment debt, as well as issues surrounding the capacity and accountability of Access Citizens, he noted.

The documents reveal that Access Citizens, the company contracted for visa processing, proposed a revenue-sharing arrangement that would leave the Ministry with a meager 2% share, a figure described by officials as “insulting.”

Further points of contention include provisions allowing Access Citizens to rent Ghana’s diplomatic biometric devices abroad for a nominal US$200 per month, a move that officials argue compromises national interests, he stated.

He explained that the memos also highlight Access Citizens’ demands, which officials believe would undermine Ghana’s progress toward implementing e-visas and visa-on-arrival systems, potentially delaying modernized visa processes in favour of profit-maximizing operations that would come at a cost to Ghana’s sovereignty.

Adding to the growing scrutiny, Ghanaian officials have raised concerns over data privacy, citing Access Citizens’ lack of robust data protection measures.

He said given that the company would manage sensitive biometric data from Ghanaian diplomatic missions worldwide, officials have warned that data protection issues could expose Ghana to severe risks.

He noted that the latest revelations follow a call for answers to twelve key questions posed to the Foreign Ministry on October 20, 2024.

These questions probe the underlying motivations behind the midnight deal, the vetting process for Access Citizens, and measures taken to protect Ghanaian data.

Critics have dubbed the contract “state capture,” asserting that attempts to amend or justify its provisions are merely belated efforts to salvage an unsound agreement.

He vowed to expose any clandestine attempts to rectify procedural infractions post-approval, affirming the NDC’s commitment to monitoring developments in the visa processing scandal, which they argue threatens both Ghana’s reputation and economic interests.

Source:classfmonline.com