Feb 19-2025

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a staff durbar on Monday, 10th February, 2025 to officially welcome the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), as he assumed office. The gathering brought together management and staff of the Ministry in an atmosphere of camaraderie and renewed commitment to service.

In his opening remarks, the Chief Director, Amb. Ramses Cleland extended a warm welcome to the Minister, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and assured him of the staff’s unwavering dedication to upholding the highest standards of diplomatic service. He emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring continuity of work and maintaining operational excellence. Additionally, he expressed appreciation for the fresh perspectives that Hon. Ablakwa brings to the Ministry, noting that his leadership would help drive innovation and efficiency.

Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in his inaugural address to the Foreign Ministry, expressed gratitude for the warm reception he had been accorded since his arrival in the Ministry. He acknowledged the critical role the Ministry plays in advancing Ghana’s interests on the global stage. He outlined key areas of focus under his leadership, highlighting strategic reforms aimed at enhancing the Ministry’s efficiency and service delivery.

Among his priority initiatives, he mentioned plans to reform the passport acquisition regime such as the introduction of a courier delivery service for passports and improving accessibility for Ghanaians. He also underscored the need for better integration of biometrics across all government platforms, including the National Identification Authority (NIA), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Passports, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), to create a seamless and secure national identification system.

Hon. Ablakwa further, emphasised the importance of accountability and performance evaluation, particularly for officers embarking on duty tours to Ghana Missions abroad. He indicated that there will be clear setting of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure that these assignments contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s diplomatic and economic objectives.

Additionally, he highlighted the importance of Economic Diplomacy as a key initiative to attract foreign investment, promote trade, and strengthen economic ties with international partners. He stressed that economic diplomacy would be at the forefront of Ghana’s foreign policy, leveraging diplomatic engagements to drive economic growth and development.

The Minister, on his first day at work, inaugurated two committees: the Committee on Passport Reforms to work at improving efficiency in the Passport regime and the Committee on Migration Coordination to put together a policy that will address the problem of irregular migration.
The durbar concluded on a positive note, with staff members expressing enthusiasm about the new leadership’s vision and commitment to enhancing the Ministry’s operations. Hon. Ablakwa reaffirmed his readiness to work closely with all stakeholders to achieve shared goals and elevate Ghana’s diplomatic engagements to new heights.