Outspoken legislator, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has publicly declared his readiness to hand over his diplomatic passport to relevant authorities to allow for comprehensive investigations into tax fraud allegations levelled against him.
In a press release dated February 14, 2023, and signed by Kwaku Takyi Adomako, a pressure group called, Movement for Justice Ghana called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to confiscate the diplomatic passport of Okudzeto Ablakwa.
According to the group, the legislator for the North Tongu constituency does not qualify for a diplomatic passport.
Part of the statement read, “I am aware that the issuance of passports, including diplomatic passports, is governed by the Passports and Travel Certificate Act, 1967 (NLCD 155), Section 1 of the Act gives the Foreign Ministry the authority to issue passports in accordance with the Act.
“However, in the case of diplomatic passports, it is my understanding that the Foreign Minister has discretion in issuing such passports provided the person to whom the diplomatic passport is issued falls with the categories enumerated in section 6(1) of the Act. It is my believe that
Hon. Ablakwa does not fall within the categories stipulated in section 6(1) and, therefore, is not entitled to be issued a diplomatic passport.”
Responding to the release, Okudzeto Ablakwa took to his page on the micro-blogging platform, Twitter, to announce he is ever ready to hand over his diplomatic passport which was issued to all 275 members of parliament.
“Crime and Corruption continues to fight back. The phoney group now demands that my diplomatic passport be revoked by the Foreign Minister even though all of Ghana’s 275 Members of Parliament are issued with diplomatic passports. I am ready to hand it over to them immediately,” Okudzeto Ablakwa’s post on Twitter read.
