Financial economist and academic, Dr Razak Kojo Opoku, has urged Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to revive the travel and expenditure tracking initiative he championed while serving as Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
Dr Opoku said Mr Ablakwa previously played a prominent role in scrutinising the international travels of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, particularly by tracking presidential trips and raising concerns about the cost and use of luxury chartered aircraft for official engagements.
According to him, the initiative, which Mr Ablakwa referred to as a “TRACKING Accountability Series,” provided a mechanism for public scrutiny of government expenditure and encouraged greater transparency in the management of state resources.
Dr Opoku, however, expressed concern that the initiative appears to have lost momentum since Mr Ablakwa moved from opposition politics into government and was appointed Foreign Affairs Minister under President John Dramani Mahama.
He argued that accountability should remain a consistent principle regardless of which political party is in power, stressing that mechanisms used to scrutinise a previous administration should not become inactive when political circumstances change.
“Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, as the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, did extremely well in holding President Akufo-Addo accountable by tracking all his foreign travels,” Dr Opoku wrote.
He further acknowledged Mr Ablakwa’s role in leading public scrutiny of government expenditure on luxury chartered aircraft during the previous administration.
For Dr Opoku, such scrutiny remains important because public resources are involved in official travels and other government activities, making transparency and independent oversight essential to ensuring value for money.
He is therefore calling on the Foreign Affairs Minister to restore the tracker and subject the current administration’s foreign travels and related expenditure to the same level of scrutiny that characterised his work in opposition.
Dr Opoku also connected his call to broader concerns about Ghana’s international reputation, particularly reports and allegations concerning the use of the country as a transit point for cocaine trafficking.
He argued that stronger monitoring, transparency and institutional oversight are necessary to prevent criminal networks from exploiting Ghana’s international connections and transport infrastructure for illicit activities.
“Many Ghanaians are urging Hon. Ablakwa to resume his TRACKING Accountability Series so that the Mahama government can successfully put a stop to the trend of drug dealers using Ghana as a platform for transporting cocaine, thereby tarnishing the image and reputation of the country,” he said.
The economist’s argument extends beyond the tracking of presidential movements. He is effectively advocating for a broader accountability framework under which government activities involving international travel, public expenditure and Ghana’s external relations can be subjected to sustained public and institutional scrutiny.
He believes such oversight could complement the work of state agencies responsible for border security, law enforcement and the fight against narcotics trafficking.
The call also highlights the broader question of whether accountability initiatives established by political actors while in opposition should continue when they assume executive responsibility.
For Dr Opoku, the change from opposition to government should not diminish the importance of transparency. Instead, he is urging Mr Ablakwa to apply the same accountability standards to the current administration that he previously demanded from the Akufo-Addo government.
His appeal comes at a time when public attention remains focused on government expenditure, international engagements and efforts to protect Ghana’s reputation as a secure and responsible member of the international community.
By 1960news.com
