It is anticipated that Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., would reopen today, Thursday, May 29, 2025, after being temporarily closed by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
An alleged corruption issue involving the Embassy’s visa office caused the closure, which went into force on Monday, May 26.
Minister Ablakwa disclosed in a Facebook post that a local IT employee is alleged to have transferred Embassy cash into a personal account.
Dr. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, has endorsed the Minister’s prompt action. In an interview with reporters in Parliament, Dr. Vanderpuije praised the move to temporarily close the Embassy, calling it an essential step to protect public finances and uphold responsibility.
“When we see corruption, when we see an act that is against the resetting of this country, we will not condone it. So, we support the minister for all the actions that he has taken. When the embassy reopens, the public will be served without an iota of corruption,” he said.
The minority in parliament has cautioned against the increasing use of social media for significant foreign policy statements and requested Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to use more sensitivity and consultativeness in carrying out his responsibilities.
On Tuesday, May 27, the Minority, led by Samuel A. Jinapor, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, denounced the strategy as a dramatic break from Ghana’s custom of tactful diplomacy.
“We were utterly shocked and surprised to learn of the decision through public announcements, rather than through prior engagement with the Foreign Affairs Committee,” Jinapor said.
“Such a significant action should have been preceded by a briefing to the committee and addressed through tactful diplomatic channels.”
While agreeing that accountability is essential, the caucus insisted that such matters should be managed discreetly to protect Ghana’s reputation and avoid undermining the morale of foreign service officers.
“This approach has far-reaching repercussions on the morale of our foreign service officers, on the reputation of our country, and on the welfare of Ghanaian citizens abroad,” Jinapor noted.
