The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said Ghana is set to drastically cut the US$15 million it spends annually on renting office space for its diplomatic missions abroad, following Cabinet’s approval of the Strategic Transition from Renting to Infrastructure Development (STRIDE) Initiative.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who announced the policy, said STRIDE will allow the country to progressively move away from rented facilities and instead build permanent, state-owned chancery and residential properties for Ghana’s missions across the globe.
“The Reset Agenda demands that we fix this, and I pledge to do just that. Ghana cannot continue spending US$15 million every year on rent for our diplomatic missions. This cannot be a judicious use of taxpayer resources,” he stressed.
As part of the initiative, the Ministry has confirmed land donations to Ghana in 23 countries, which will now be fully utilized for the construction of new embassies and high commissions.
According to Mr. Ablakwa, this will not only save costs but also prevent the risk of losing donated lands that have remained unused for decades.
To ensure efficiency and transparency, the Finance Ministry has appointed a Transaction Advisor, while a consortium of banks is being put together to finance STRIDE competitively.
In line with President Mahama’s Reset Agenda, the new Ghana missions will adopt a unified architectural identity. Ablakwa announced the launch of an open design competition for “Ghana House”, the standard model for the country’s embassies and high commissions worldwide.
“This competition is open from today, 15th September 2025, to Friday, 14th November 2025. All Ghanaian architects, whether young or old, fresh graduates or legends are free to participate,” he said.
He emphasized that the move marks a refreshing break from recent practices where major national projects were single-sourced to one architect.
“Another confirmation that Reset is truly happening,” Ablakwa noted, citing projects like the National Cathedral, Marine Drive, Agenda 111, and the GNPC Head Office as past examples of single-sourcing.
