The President, John Dramani Mahama, has said that Ghana cannot continue to spend more than $15 million every year on renting properties abroad for its diplomatic missions, describing the practice as unsustainable and a waste of taxpayer resources.
Speaking at the Jubilee House in Accra during the commissioning of 18 new high commissioners and ambassadors designate, the president said the government was committed to reversing the trend through a new programme known as the Strategic Transition from Rental to Developing our Own Properties (STRIDE) initiative.
“This is not a judicious use of taxpayers’ resources, and the reset agenda requires an immediate reversal of this trend, That is why cabinet has approved the STRIDE initiative,” President Mahama said.
He reminded the newly appointed envoys that their service was not for personal gain but for country and God, urging them to serve with humility, courage and excellence.
The president administered the oath of office and presented the instruments of office to the ambassadors, followed by the signing of the oath book.
Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Victor Emmanuel Smith, Ambassador to Washington, USA, expressed gratitude for the confidence placed in them by Ghanaians.
The comments come against the backdrop of rising concern over the cost of maintaining Ghana’s foreign missions. Earlier this year, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed that the ministry spends an estimated $15 million annually on rent for Foreign Service Officers stationed abroad.
Mr Ablakwa described the expenditure as an “unsustainable burden” and announced plans to begin acquiring at least two properties each year for official use overseas. He argued that property ownership would not only cut long-term costs but also enhance security and dignity for staff.
However, he also voiced concern over the poor maintenance of existing government-owned properties abroad, warning that neglect was putting the health and safety of diplomats at risk.
