The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has raised concerns about a purported visa processing scandal involving Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
He alleges that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration hastily signed a questionable contract for visa processing just weeks ahead of leaving office, raising eyebrows among various stakeholders.
In a social media post on Thursday, October 17, Mr Ablakwa said the contract with Access Citizens Services Ghana Limited has ignited significant outrage among diplomats and security officials.
He warned that this deal could have serious implications for national security, data protection, and the financial interests of Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad.
The contract, signed on October 2, 2024, grants Access Citizens Services Ghana Limited exclusive rights to handle all front-end visa applications globally, with the exception of protocol visas.
Mr Ablakwa criticised this move, emphasising that it centralizes visa processing under a single entity, which could be detrimental to the country’s diplomatic operations.
Additionally, he pointed out that Ghana’s diplomatic missions will be obligated to transfer visa processing responsibilities to Access Citizens within four months of the company’s establishment of Premium Application Centers in each country.
Mr Ablakwa believes this decision is fraught with issues, and he is calling for urgent scrutiny of the contract and its implications for Ghana’s foreign affairs.
“The agreement raises major concerns about data protection, national security, and a crude undermining of key functions of Ghana’s diplomatic missions. Interestingly, the two parties have agreed to operate under the new dubious terms until September 1, 2028, with the option for another 5-year renewal. Access Citizens, under this new agreement, will enjoy absolute exclusivity.”
“Access Citizens insist that they must be allowed to exclusively process a forecasted minimum of 695,468 visas between September 1, 2023, and September 1, 2028, which has been gladly granted by Ghana’s Foreign Ministry. From the unconscionable revenue sharing arrangement under the contract, Ghana’s Foreign Ministry will receive a paltry 3% to 10% of the fees from visa applicants,” he disclosed.
“Visa applicants in the United Kingdom will now pay £45. Visa applicants in the United States of America will pay $55; visa applicants in Germany and Italy will pay €55; visa applicants in China will pay $55, and visa applicants in all other jurisdictions will pay $55. Conservative financial analysis shows that Access Citizens will be raking in about $38.2 million between now and September 2028, while Ghana’s Foreign Ministry struggles to get a measly $2 million out of that,” he added.
Source: myjoyonline.com
