Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu, has pointed out a contradiction in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ response to his exposé on the visa application issue.
He pointed out that although the Ministry initially dismissed his exposé on the US$38.2 million visa processing scandal as misleading, they subsequently confirmed all the information he revealed.
According to Ablakwa, this shift exposes inconsistencies within the Ministry’s narrative and raises further questions about their transparency and accountability in handling the matter.
“More substantively, the Foreign Ministry’s statement disingenuously fails to respond to all the fundamental issues: Why was Access Citizens single-sourced when it has absolutely no track record?”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Ablakwa further criticized the Ministry for orchestrating a favorable deal and awarding it to a hastily formed company with connections, rather than opting for an open and competitive bidding process.
He argued that a transparent approach would have guaranteed value for money and provided better internationally accepted safeguards.
Ablakwa also questioned the rationale behind outsourcing visa processing services, suggesting that in the current Ghanaian context, there may be no legitimate justification for such a move.
This, he emphasized, only raises more concerns about the Ministry’s decision-making and accountability. “Why was PPA approval not sought in flagrant violation of Ghana’s procurement law?”
The astute MP further raised concerns, questioning why, if this was indeed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, the Ministry completely disregarded the stringent legal procedures mandated under Ghana’s PPP framework.
He highlighted that such processes, including obtaining parliamentary approval, are crucial for ensuring transparency, accountability, and due diligence.
Ablakwa argued that bypassing these legal requirements undermines the integrity of the PPP framework.
He added that it also raises suspicions about the Ministry’s motives and the legitimacy of the arrangement. “What explains the shocking unconscionable terms with the Ministry happy to settle for a meager 3%, 7% & 10%?”
Ablakwa Challenges Lack of Investment Obligations
Furthermore, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa questioned why the “midnight contract” failed to impose a specific investment obligation on Access Citizens.
He expressed concern over the apparent lack of accountability, noting that such stipulations are crucial for ensuring that the company fulfills its commitments.
Ablakwa also wondered what analysis led to the decision to grant Access Citizens a monopoly until 1st September 2028.
He suggested that this exclusivity raises serious questions about the transparency and rigor of the decision-making process, as well as potential implications for competition and service quality in visa processing.
“Why should a sovereign nation obtain the blessings of Access Citizens before we can introduce e-Visas anytime before 1st September 2028? Why should Ghana’s e-Visa and Visa-On-Arrival plans be put on hold until Access Citizens has met its supernormal profit targets?
“Why is the Ministry peddling falsehood about taxes to be paid by Access Citizens when the 2nd October 2024 Addendum to the Agreement expressly states that the fees being charged by Access Citizens exclude VAT or statutory taxes?”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
He further questioned why the Ministry remains silent on the egregious violation of Ghana’s data protection laws.
He pointed out that the Foreign Ministry has failed to provide a clear policy justification for handing over all front-end visa processing to Access Citizens under such opaque and questionable circumstances.
Ablakwa emphasized that Ghana’s diplomatic missions were effectively managing these processes while safeguarding the country’s strategic national interests.
He argued that this move undermines both public trust and the essential safeguards needed to protect sensitive personal information from potential misuse or exploitation. “They say, if it’s not broke, you don’t fix it”.
Accordingly, Hon. Ablakwa asserted that nothing would deter them from fearlessly scrutinizing the US$38.2 million misappropriation.
He made it clear that they would not hesitate to dismantle this questionable deal, which he described as sleazy, to protect the public interest and ensure transparency in government dealings. “Enough of the State Capture.”
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