Ablakwa Questions Foreign Ministry’s US$38.2 Million Visa Processing Deal, Calls for Transparency and Accountability

In a recent exposé on social media, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has raised serious concerns over Ghana’s Foreign Ministry’s handling of a US$38.2 million visa processing agreement with Access Citizens, a private entity.

He alleges that the deal, which he describes as “sleazy” and a case of “State Capture,” lacks transparency and accountability, and he questions the Ministry’s decision to enter into the contract without following standard legal and procurement procedures.

The Foreign Ministry recently issued a statement claiming that Ablakwa’s exposé was misleading, yet according to him, the Ministry’s response confirmed many of his assertions. Ablakwa highlighted several issues in the Ministry’s approach, starting with the choice to single-source Access Citizens.

He questioned why the company, with no established track record, was awarded the contract instead of allowing an open, competitive bidding process. Ablakwa suggested that an open process would have better ensured value for money, possibly securing terms more favorable to Ghana.

A major sticking point, according to Ablakwa, is the lack of approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). He argues that bypassing this critical regulatory requirement is a “flagrant violation of Ghana’s procurement law.”

He also questioned why the Ministry disregarded Ghana’s stringent Public-Private Partnership (PPP) legal framework, which mandates parliamentary approval for such agreements.

Ablakwa criticized the agreement’s terms, pointing to what he describes as “unconscionable” profit-sharing percentages of 3%, 7%, and 10% for the Ministry.

He argues that these percentages offer little benefit to Ghana, while Access Citizens stands to make substantial profits. Additionally, the agreement grants Access Citizens a monopoly on visa processing until September 1, 2028, a move he views as disadvantageous to Ghana’s interests.

Among other criticisms, Ablakwa expressed shock over the provision that prevents Ghana from introducing its own e-visa system or Visa-On-Arrival services until Access Citizens has met its profit targets, effectively granting the company control over Ghana’s visa modernization efforts. He described this provision as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.

The legislator also raised concerns over data protection, noting the Ministry’s “deafening silence” on what he claims are breaches of Ghana’s data protection laws within the agreement. Additionally, he questioned the Ministry’s claim regarding tax contributions, pointing to an addendum in the contract dated October 2, 2024, which he says exempts Access Citizens from paying VAT or other statutory taxes on its fees.

Ablakwa insists that the Foreign Ministry has failed to justify why Ghana’s front-end visa processing services, traditionally handled by diplomatic missions, are being handed over to a private company under “opaque and sleazy circumstances.” He believes that Ghana’s diplomatic missions were adequately handling visa processing, and the new arrangement unnecessarily compromises national interest.

The lawmaker has vowed to continue scrutinizing the deal, describing it as a “US$38.2 million plunder” and asserting that he is committed to advocating for its termination. Concluding his post, he declared,

“Enough of the State Capture!” he stated.

He affirmed his intent to continue pursuing the matter “for God and Country.”

Source: ghananewsonline.com.gh