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The minority spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says it is his duty to ensure that ‘tax payers’ money is used judiciously by the government’; hence his debate on the controversial Oslo building.

“My constituents who voted for me and Ghanaians in a whole, will not be happy with me if I had kept these facts to myself. I have nothing personal against the Foreign Affairs Minister; I am just doing my job” he indicated.

The minority in Parliament led by Mr Ablakwa have been up in arms with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway over their ‘intention’ to purchase a building in Oslo, Norway for use as Ghana’s embassy.

The property, the Minority alleged was purchased at a cost of $12.1 million instead of $3.5 million.

Even though the ministry insists the building has not been purchased yet, Ablakwa who is also the Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency in the Volta Region says there are evidences proving to the contrary.

Discussing the issue further during a panel discussion on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji, Saturday, 22nd December, 2018, Okudjeto Ablakwa asked:

-        If the ministry has just expressed an interest to the Norwegian government, then why did she come to parliament?

-        If they just expressed an interest then why the need for approval of design?

-        Why submit drawings and obtain permit?

According to him, once the ministry has gone as far as obtaining “permit from the Norwegian authorities…this deal clearly has been sealed, signed, closed”

“what you were coming for is an approval from parliament…in anyway parliament is not a dumping place for thought processes and expression of interest; you haven’t done due diligence and you come and dump these documents on us…so what were you doing in parliament; it is clear that the deal has been closed” he indicated.

Financial Commitment

The Foreign Affairs ministry has also insisted that no financial commitment has been made as far as the building in Oslo is concerned. However, the MP for North Tongu says it is ‘wrong to create the impression that no money has been spent’.

“The minister says they have engaged valuers, an agency and lawyers per the 17th December statement; is government telling us that all these experts are working for free? They are working pro bono? The minister said they wrote to back out of the transaction, where is that letter and what was the response from the seller. There are lots of questions to answer…” he noted