The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed reports that the country’s High Commissioner to Australia has been dismissed by President Akufo-Addo.

JoyNews understands that Ghanaians in Australia have been refused consular services because the Head of Mission, Dr. Joseph Nii Sai Coffie-Agoe is not at post.

This has left Ghanaians in Australia in the dark as to what exactly is happening at the mission in Canberra.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee on Friday, January 20, the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong said the High Commissioner just retired and has not been sacked by the President.

He told the Committee that processes have commenced to appoint a new ambassador to Australia.

“No, he has not been sacked…He has retired and has returned to Ghana. We have an acting Head of Mission. So typically the next senior officer becomes the acting Head of Mission until a substantive head is appointed,” he responded to the question by the Chairman of the Committee, James Klutse Avedzi.

Meanwhile, the Ministry also disclosed that it expended an amount of GH¢7,967,886.57 on a project which was originally valued at GH¢1,435,728.99 due to the ill health of the contractor.

The contract for the rehabilitation of Adu Lodge Guest House was awarded to International Development Resources on March 15, 2007.

The Acting Chief Director of the Ministry, Ambassador Ramses Joseph Cleland said the project came to a grind in 2008 after it was awarded in 2007, but was later revisited in March 2019 and upon the request of the consultant, was re-valued to GH¢7,967,886.57 for the same contractor to execute.