The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has criticized Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey’s handling of the recent closure of Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C., describing it as diplomatically reckless and lacking in institutional consultation.
Speaking on behalf of the Caucus, Committee Member and former Lands Minister, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, stated that the concern is not about the closure itself but the manner in which the information was prematurely disclosed to the public without prior engagement with Parliament.
He accused the Minister of bypassing the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, an oversight the Minority considers a breach of protocol, particularly given the sensitive nature of foreign relations.
“The Foreign Minister should have exercised more caution and tact. These decisions carry significant international weight and should not be used for populist grandstanding,” Jinapor said.
The Caucus is calling for improved coordination between the Ministry and Parliament to ensure that major diplomatic decisions are communicated responsibly, with appropriate internal consultations before being made public.
They warned that such unilateral actions could undermine Ghana’s image on the global stage and urged the Minister to adopt a more strategic, collaborative approach going forward.
