It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration that a report in the Tuesday, April 12, 2016 edition of DAILY GUIDE newspaper is claiming that the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, has not been reimbursed for payments made on behalf of then Vice President John Mahama in 2011.

As was indicated in the hearings of the Public Accounts Committee into the account of the Ministry for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, the mission made some protocol arrangements on behalf of the office of the Vice President during a visit to South Africa in 2011 and incurred some costs.

The mission was however reimbursed by the office of the President in 2013 in respect of the Vice President and Former President Jerry Rawlings, following a review by the Ministry’s Audit Report Implementation Committee.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and regional integration Hannah S, Tetteh (MP) informed the Public Accounts Committee of the settlement of the bills during its sitting on Monday.

It should be noted that the Ministry provides protocol assistance through its missions abroad to senior government officials who are entitled to same.

This may involve making hotel reservations making arrangements for vehicles to be available to them during their stay; and where the missions do not have enough vehicles of their own, vehicles may be rented for the period that the senior official/former president and /or former first lady is in the country.

In countries where electronic payments are the norm, the mission may secure the reservations/vehicle rentals, etc. by credit card and then subsequently receive reimbursement responsible for the expenditure.

In case of president/ vice president or former vice president/vice president and their spouses, these are covered by the office of the president.

Former President Rawlings, Former President Kufuor, Former first ladies and the president and vice president are entitled to such protocol assistance, and they all have benefited from same during this administration.