President John Dramani Mahama has revealed a strategic move aimed at curbing Ghana’s yearly spending of over $15 million on leasing buildings overseas for its diplomatic offices.
He emphasized that the nation’s reset strategy necessitates an immediate end to this costly practice, which he labeled as an unnecessary burden on public funds.
During a ceremony to inaugurate newly appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners on Thursday, September 4, President Mahama announced that Cabinet has sanctioned a fresh initiative—dubbed the STRIDE Initiative—to transition from renting to constructing government-owned diplomatic facilities.
“Let me be emphatic. Ghana cannot continue spending a staggering more than $15 million every year on renting properties abroad for our diplomatic use. This is not a judicious use of taxpayers’ resources, and the reset agenda requires an immediate reversal of this trend,” he declared.
The STRIDE Initiative—short for Strategic Transition from Rental to Developing our own Properties—will be spearheaded by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance.
President Mahama further revealed that a transaction advisor has already been engaged, standardized architectural plans are underway, and financial negotiations are in progress.
He stated,
“This decisive shift will ensure that our missions abroad are housed in properties that are owned by the Republic, reducing wasteful expenditure while safeguarding Ghana’s dignity on the international stage.”
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