Mahama halts $15 million annual rent for foreign missions

President John Dramani Mahama revealed that Ghana will no longer spend over $15 million annually on renting properties abroad for its diplomatic missions, citing the practice as wasteful and unsustainable.

Following the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Ambassadors and envoys on Thursday, September 4, 2025, the President explained that the government has approved a new framework, the Strategic Transition from Rental to Developing (STRIDE) policy, as part of the Reset Agenda, to tackle this issue.

“Ghana cannot continue to allocate over $15 million every year on renting properties abroad for our diplomatic missions. This is not a judicious use of taxpayers’ resources, and the Reset Agenda aims to reverse this trend immediately,” he stated.

President Mahama announced that the Cabinet has approved the STRIDE policy, tasking the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Finance to urgently resolve the matter.

As per his latest briefing, a transaction advisor has been appointed, standard developments are being prepared, and funding mechanisms are being negotiated.

The President clarified that the new policy aims to ensure Ghana’s foreign missions are accommodated in state-owned properties, reducing unnecessary expenditure while enhancing the country’s international image.

He emphasized that this shift will ensure Ghana’s missions abroad are housed in proper state-owned homes, reducing wasteful expenditure while upholding Ghana’s dignity on the global stage.