Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has called on diplomatic missions to take concrete steps to protect the dignity of Ghanaian visa applicants, while making clear that he will not interfere with their decisions over who qualifies for a visa.
Mr Ablakwa made the comments after visiting the VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Accra on Monday, 5 October 2026, as part of a wider working tour of more than 20 embassies and visa application centres.
The tour is assessing the conditions faced by Ghanaian applicants and the quality of services available to them.
During his visit to the VFS Global facility, Mr Ablakwa met applicants and members of staff, toured the centre and examined its operational procedures. The engagement gave him a direct view of the customer journey, including the way applications are handled.
The visit also highlighted VFS Global’s stated focus on providing efficient, secure and customer-focused services. Mr Ablakwa praised the professionalism of the team and the standards maintained at the centre.
Speaking after the tour, he said the exercise had allowed him to understand the situation on the ground and speak directly with fellow citizens about their experiences.
He added that he would present his findings and observations to Heads of Missions in the coming days, with the aim of working with them to secure improvements.
“I must acknowledge that substantial progress has been made by some missions,” Mr Ablakwa said.
The minister also drew a distinction between the responsibility of diplomatic missions to decide on visa eligibility and the standards applicants should expect during the process.
“As I have always emphasised, it is the prerogative of diplomatic missions to determine who qualifies for their visas, I shall not interfere with that, nonetheless, they must take concrete steps to ensure the dignity of Ghanaians is safeguarded,” he added.
