The Foreign Ministry has forcefully denied allegations of a $38.2 million contract with Access Services Ghana Limited. The accusations were made by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, who suggested that the Ministry had engaged in a questionable agreement for handling visa applications for Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad.
Ablakwa claimed that Access Services Ghana Limited lacks a proven track record and accused the Ministry of bypassing the Public Procurement Authority in awarding the contract. He further raised concerns about the lack of parliamentary approval and questioned whether the deal offered value for money, asserting that the Ministry could be short-changed.
In a swift response issued on Friday, October 18, the Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations as “largely incorrect and calculated to deliberately mislead the public.” The Ministry also rebutted Ablakwa’s assertion that Access Services Ghana Limited would rake in $38.2 million by 2028, leaving the Ministry with only $2 million. According to the Ministry, this financial analysis is “grossly misleading.”
Clarifying the arrangement, the Ministry explained that Access Services Ghana Limited is responsible for providing premium front-end visa application services using its own resources, for a set fee. These fees range between $45 and €55, depending on the country. The Ministry emphasized that Ghanaian missions abroad will receive a portion of these fees—around $7 or €7 per application—which provides an additional revenue stream for the missions.
Contrary to Ablakwa’s claims, the Ministry noted that these services are similar to those provided by global firms like VFS Global and TLSContact, which handle visa applications and biometric data for foreign embassies in Ghana.
The Foreign Ministry concluded that its agreement with Access Services Ghana Limited complies with global standards for visa processing and is designed to improve service efficiency without undermining public interest.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
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