Ghana’s Parliament approved a sum of GH¢1,486,199,777 for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, March 28, 2025, for the implementation of its programs and activities for the 2025 financial year.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, while speaking on the floor of Parliament in Accra, said Ghana spends $15 million every year on rented properties abroad and thus underscored the need to transition from renting to owning its own properties for official business.
The Minister indicated that part of the budget allocation would be used to pay the GH¢340 million debt inherited from the previous government.
He added that the price for a 32-page passport booklet would be reduced from GH¢500 to GH¢350 to lessen the financial burden on passport applicants.
He said efforts were underway to recruit 100 staff members to aid in implementing the 24-hour policy, ensuring 24/7 passport processing, and meeting the seven-day delivery target via courier services.
The Minister stated that the Ministry had given the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) three months to present a structural integrity report on the Accra International Conference Centre to determine whether the facility is still fit for purpose.
He expressed unhappiness about the Ministry’s 30 percent budget cut.
He believed that the Ministry’s budget priorities must always be upheld to receive sufficient resources to facilitate its activities and attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country.
The Minister also announced plans to open a new mission in Budapest, Hungary, to serve Ghanaians in that country.
Source: GNA
