The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ushering in a new era of transparency, accountability, and integrity in public service, vowing that corruption and conflicts of interest will not be tolerated under the current administration.

In response to revelations from a recent fact-finding mission, the Minister stressed that responsible leadership requires decisive action when laws are breached and public trust is undermined.

“We will not condone corruption, we will not look the other way, and we will not be complicit in misconduct,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.

“This ministry is undergoing a reset. Our hard-won reputation will be protected and upheld.”

The Minister’s remarks come amid growing controversy over a questionable contract between one of Ghana’s embassies and a private firm owned by Fred Kwarteng.

The agreement has raised eyebrows over its lack of transparency and legitimacy.

Unlike other missions, such as the Ghana Mission in New York, which engages directly with courier services like FedEx and UPS, the contract in question outsources these duties to Kwarteng's company, despite unclear terms and no defined scope of services.

Concerns have mounted over the nature of the contract, which reportedly contains no specific duration, termination clause, or pricing framework—effectively giving the company a “blank check” to charge at will.

Even more troubling, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says there are no official records of the contract, and that it was not authorised through the proper channels.

This has triggered questions over whether the ambassador involved had the authority to execute such an agreement.

Minister Ablakwa pointed to financial regulations that clearly stipulate contract approvals are the responsibility of the head of chancery, not the ambassador.

As the investigation continues, the Minister reaffirmed that the government will hold all individuals accountable in accordance with the law, and that the days of unchecked impunity in the foreign service are over.