Ablakwa refutes Owiredu’s claim on visa processing timelines

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has rejected claims from former Deputy Foreign Minister Charles Owiredu. Owiredu stated that visa processing times of 2 to 5 days were standard under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

This issue arose after Mr. Ablakwa announced new visa processing times. He said applications would now be processed within 2 to 5 days. He credited this change to efficiency reforms by the current government.

Mr. Owiredu quickly contested Ablakwa's statement. He insisted that such turnaround times existed during the NPP’s time in office.

In response, the Foreign Affairs Minister posted on X (formerly Twitter). He stated, “Honourable former Deputy Minister, you know you are absolutely wrong on this.”

Ablakwa backed his rebuttal with official records from Ghana’s diplomatic missions during the NPP era. He argued these records contradict Owiredu’s claims.

He highlighted publicly available information about visa processing times. The Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C., listed processing times of 15 to 20 business days. The mission in New York indicated a wait time of three weeks.

The embassy in Germany and the High Commission in the UK also reported around 15 working days for processing.

“These are just a few websites exposing your misleading presentation,” he wrote, challenging his predecessor's narrative.