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Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced sweeping reforms aimed at restoring professionalism and responsiveness across Ghana’s diplomatic missions, following a wave of public complaints and disturbing revelations about poor service delivery.
In a strongly worded statement issued on his X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday (10 June 2025), Ablakwa acknowledged the frustrations of Ghanaians abroad who have encountered disrespect, unresponsiveness, and inefficiency at some embassies and consulates.
“All your justified grievances about the lack of responsiveness and discourteous conduct at some of Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad have been duly noted,” he said, adding that he was particularly outraged after reading Prof. Kojo Dei’s published account of his unsatisfactory experiences with two Ghanaian missions.
“Such condemnable conduct won’t be allowed on my watch,” he said.
Ablakwa stated that while several of Ghana’s missions operate with excellence and empathy, others have consistently failed to meet acceptable service standards.
“As Foreign Minister even though this worrying state of affairs predates my tenure I take full responsibility and hereby assure that decisive measures are being taken to remedy the situation, consistent with President Mahama’s RESET Agenda,” he stated.
A new era of accountability and service
To address the legitimate concerns raised, Ablakwa outlined a comprehensive list of new policy interventions, including:
1. A new code of engagement outlining how Ghanaians and other stakeholders should be treated at all diplomatic missions.
2. Upgraded phone systems to enable the handling of multiple calls at once.
3. Recording of official calls for regular reviews by mission management to assess professionalism and empathy.
4. Partnerships with service providers to verify if embassy calls are being properly answered.
5. Responsiveness and accessibility KPIs for all soon-to-be-appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners.
6. Disciplinary measures for officials whose conduct falls below expected standards.
These reforms, the Minister said, are part of a broader push under President John Mahama’s administration to eliminate inefficiency, restore public confidence, and uphold the dignity of Ghana’s foreign service.
Washington DC mission undergoes overhaul
Citing the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC as a key example of progress, Ablakwa stated that corruption had been decisively uprooted and a total of 2,943 visas had been issued since its reopening.
“I have been there to directly supervise operations and ensure the backlog of visa applications are cleared,” he said, adding that the new team of diplomats has been tasked with swiftly implementing the new public responsiveness policies.
He stated that the Mahama government remains firmly committed to “a new reset era of accountable public service with uncompromisingly high standards of professionalism, transparency and patriotism.”
“The RESET Agenda is not just about policy, it is about protecting applicants from criminal exploitation, redeeming Ghana’s image abroad, and serving citizens with efficiency and integrity,” he added.
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