Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. is expected to reopen today, Thursday, May 29, 2025, following a temporary closure ordered by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The closure, which took effect on Monday, May 26, was prompted by an alleged corruption scandal involving the Embassy’s visa section.
In a Facebook post, Minister Ablakwa revealed that a local IT staff member is accused of diverting funds belonging to the Embassy into a personal account.
Chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, has thrown his support behind the Minister’s swift action. Speaking to journalists in Parliament, Dr. Vanderpuije commended the decision to shut down the Embassy temporarily, describing it as a necessary step to safeguard public funds and maintain accountability.
“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.
Meanwhile, the Minority in parliament has urged Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to adopt a more tactful and consultative approach in executing his duties—warning against the growing use of social media for major foreign policy announcements.
Led by Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel A. Jinapor, the Minority on Tuesday, May 27, criticised the approach as a sharp departure from Ghana’s tradition of quiet 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.
