Ghana has rented a floor on an office building in the heart of the Norwegian capital, Oslo, to serve as its diplomatic mission in that country.

The five-year lease brings to an end the controversy over whether or not the country was going ahead to purchase a building, the cost of which, according to the Minority in Parliament, has been inflated. 

The NDC MPs in 2018 levelled a claim overpricing against the Foreign Affairs Minister over the conversion of a 100-year-old six-bedroom house in Oslo into Ghana’s new mission.  

The proposed chancery the Minority raised concerns about in 2018

North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is a Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, alleged that the property was bought by a certain woman for $2.9 million in 2014 and sold to an unknown buyer for $3.5 million in August 2017, but was surprised that Ghana was purchasing the property for $12.2 million in 2018.

But the Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, denied signing an agreement for the procurement of a Chancery and Ambassador’s Residence for its mission in Norway.

On the sidelines of President Akufo Addo’s official visit to the Scandinavian country, Mrs Botchway, assisted by Ghana ambassador to Norway, Jennifer Lartey, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng as well as the Education and Transport Ministers cut the sod to formally open the embassy for business.

In an interview with JoyNews, Mrs Botchway said the government has purchased another building to serve as a residence for the ambassador.

“We did not go through with the purchase of the Oslo building for our chancery services but we have bought another as a residence for the ambassador and just like I said in 2018, the intention to buy is different from buying.

“But unfortunately, the Minority made an issue out of it. But what is, however, clear is that the needs of nearly 3,000 Ghanaians living here in Norway can be served effectively,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

Ghana ambassadors to Norway, Jennifer Lartey, is optimistic the embassy will facilitate trade and investment among the two countries.