The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to claims made by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa relative to the application and processing of visas.<\/p>\n The Ministry in a press statement dated October 18, 2024, described Ablakwa\u2019s assertions as misleading.<\/p>\n It clarified that the arrangement with Access Services is in line with global standard visa application processing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe arrangement with Access is in line with global standard visa application processing whereby receipt of applications and capturing of biometric data are carried out by third-party visa application centres,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n Additionally, the Ministry explained that Ablakwa\u2019s allegations regarding Access Citizens making about US$38.2 million between now and September 2028 are mischievous, as he failed to account for key costs such as taxes, capital, and recurrent expenses, among others.<\/p>\n \u201cThe claim by Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa that per his “conservative financial analysis, Access Citizens would be raking about US$ 38.2 million between now and September 2028 while Ghana’s Foreign Ministry struggles to get a measly US$ 2 million out of that” is grossly misleading.<\/p>\n \u201cInterestingly, not included in the financial analysis are the taxes, capital and recurrent expenses that Access would incur between now and September 2028 as well as what percentage of the so-called projected revenue of US$ 38.2 million these expenses would constitute. By ignoring these key cost imperatives in any well-meaning analysis seems mischievous as adding them would clearly expose the intended mischief,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n On October 17, 2024, Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed that he had intercepted contractual documents between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and a company known as Access Citizens Services Ghana Limited.<\/p>\n According to him, the document shows that Access Services will handle all front-end visa applications for people seeking Ghanaian visas worldwide.<\/p>\n Ablakwa further raised concerns that Access Citizens is set to rake in about US$38.2 million between now and September 2028, while Ghana\u2019s Foreign Ministry would receive a mere US$2 million from that amount.<\/p>\n MAG\/EK<\/p>\n Watch the latest edition of BizHeadlines below:<\/b><\/p>\n![\"Samuel](\"https:\/\/cdn.ghanaweb.com\/imagelib\/pics\/540\/54033147.295.jpg\" "\\"Samuel")
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n