Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, has slammed Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for what he calls a “tactless” decision to abruptly shut down Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C. over allegations of corruption.
Hon. Boamah, speaking in an exclusive interview at his office, said while rooting out rot within the Foreign Service is necessary, how the closure was handled has harmed Ghana’s international image.
He expressed dismay over the public announcement by the Foreign Minister on social media, stating that the decision lacked diplomatic prudence.
“What the Minister has done has put Ghana’s name in a certain way on the diplomatic arena. To shut down a whole mission in the center of America because of alleged visa issues is like killing the ant with a sledgehammer,” Patric Boamah said.
He urged the minister to immediately reopen the embassy and allow investigations to proceed without interrupting services.
“Reopen the mission. Deploy interim staff and continue operations. What if none of the officers are even guilty? You don’t tarnish everyone’s reputation over an allegation.”
The Okaikwei Central legislator emphasized the importance of discretion in diplomatic affairs, citing historical precedence.
“This is not the first time issues have happened at missions abroad. But diplomacy requires tact. You don’t wash your dirty linen at the embassy gates,” he added.
He warned that visa applicants, investors, and members of the Diaspora were now left stranded due to the abrupt closure and cautioned, “People with appointments, business engagements, and family matters are now in limbo. Diplomacy is about solving problems quietly, not broadcasting crises.”
Speaking on the alleged ‘missing’ Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) containers that have now been retrieved, Hon. Patrick Boamah argued the containers were never missing but simply misplaced.
He criticized the Minister for Energy for jumping to conclusions based on an interim report and called for an official apology.
He said, “The Minister must return to Parliament and correct the public record. Reputations were destroyed, and people were ridiculed. He should be honorable enough to say he was wrong.”
He pushed back against claims that a cartel within ECG was responsible for the container issue and stated, “So the cartel brought the containers back? That narrative damaged honest workers. When the children of these workers read such stories, how do they view their parents?”
He urged public officials to verify facts before going public with allegations and not to be quick to call a news conference just to score political points. Evidence, he said, must lead action, not hearsay to protect the integrity of public institutions.
Patrick Boamah confirmed that the Minority will demand full briefings from both ministers.
In a related development, however, the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC has been reopened for services
