Ghana’s embassy in the United States has been temporarily closed as part of sweeping anti-corruption measures announced by Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, following a damning audit into operations at the diplomatic mission.
The closure, effective immediately, is part of a broader restructuring and systems overhaul after investigations uncovered a five-year visa and passport fraud scheme orchestrated by embassy staff.
At the center of the scandal is Mr. Fred Kwarteng, a locally hired IT staffer who admitted to creating an unauthorized link on the embassy’s website.
This link diverted visa and passport applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where he charged unapproved fees ranging from $29.75 to $60 per applicant. The payments were made without the knowledge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and outside legal frameworks set by Ghana’s Fees and Charges Act.
Kwarteng has been dismissed and reported to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and recovery of funds. According to the audit team assembled by Minister Ablakwa, the scheme operated covertly for at least five years, with potential collaborators.
In response, the government has implemented immediate measures:
– Recalled all Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel posted to the Washington mission.
– Dissolved the embassy’s IT department.
- Suspended all locally recruited staff.
- Invited the Auditor-General to conduct a forensic audit of all transactions.
Minister Ablakwa emphasized that the government, with the full backing of President Mahama, remains committed to fighting corruption and abuse of office.
“We regret any inconvenience caused to visa and passport applicants by the temporary closure of the embassy,” Ablakwa stated, assuring that updates will follow as the overhaul progresses.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com
