Nana B passport row: Abu Jinapor says allegations are smokescreen for budget scrutiny

The Ranking Member of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has firmly rejected accusations that MP Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh pressured Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to issue a diplomatic passport to NPP Second Vice-Chairman Henry Nana Boakye. Mr Jinapor characterised the allegations as a deliberate diversion from the Minority's ongoing scrutiny of government spending on the evacuation of Ghanaian citizens from South Africa.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr Jinapor clarified that Nana B had never held a diplomatic passport and had already surrendered his service passport following directives from the incoming government. According to his account, the issue concerned a routine request to transfer a valid visa from an old passport to a new one—a standard administrative procedure rather than an attempt to retain unwarranted privileges.

What actually happened

Mr Jinapor explained that he had spoken directly with Mr Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, who confirmed that Nana B had submitted a formal requisition to transfer his existing visa to a new passport. The minister reportedly agreed to process the request. Mr Asafo-Adjei Ayeh followed up once to check on progress, was informed the matter remained under review, and did not pursue it further—behaviour consistent with standard parliamentary engagement with the executive branch.

The Majority Caucus, however, presented a different narrative. Salaga South MP Hajia Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah alleged that Mr Asafo-Adjei Ayeh and Nana B had sought special exception to allow Nana B to retain a service passport despite not qualifying. She contended that Minister Ablakwa correctly rejected the request because Nana B's prior roles—NPP National Youth Organiser and Board Chairman of the National Food Buffer Stock Company—did not warrant service passport eligibility.

Why it matters for Ghana

This parliamentary dispute sits at the intersection of governmental transparency and partisan politics. The Minority caucus is demanding an independent audit into expenditure related to the South Africa evacuation—a significant fiscal commitment that demands public accountability. Allegations regarding passport issuance, if true, would represent a separate governance concern; if false, they represent an attempt to deflect legitimate budget scrutiny.

For Ghanaians, the underlying issue is whether public resources and administrative processes are being distributed fairly and according to established rules. Service passports carry diplomatic privileges and should only be issued to individuals whose roles genuinely require them. The disagreement over Nana B's eligibility reflects broader questions about how Ghana's public institutions balance political considerations against merit and regulation.

Mr Jinapor's assertion that the Minority has not accused the minister of wrongdoing suggests the caucus believes the administrative process functioned appropriately—whether or not a visa transfer ultimately occurred. The real battle appears to be over the South Africa evacuation budget, with the passport controversy serving as political noise in a larger accountability debate.