In an unprecedented move, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recalled all its staff from Ghana’s embassy in Washington DC with immediate effect.
The decision, announced by Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, comes in the wake of a damning audit that exposed a long-running visa and passport fraud scheme at the diplomatic mission.
According to Ablakwa, the recall is part of sweeping measures aimed at overhauling the embassy’s operations and restoring public trust.
“This is a clear message that accountability will not be compromised in our foreign service,” he stated.
The audit, commissioned several months ago by Ablakwa, uncovered that a local IT staffer, Mr. Fred Kwarteng, had created an unauthorized link on the embassy’s website.
The link redirected 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.
These charges were neither sanctioned by the Ministry nor approved by Parliament under the Fees and Charges Act.
Investigators believe the fraudulent scheme may have been operating for at least five years. The matter has since been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and recovery of stolen funds.
In addition to the staff recall, Ablakwa has announced the suspension of all locally recruited staff at the Washington embassy, the dissolution of its IT department, and a temporary closure of the mission to allow for restructuring.
The Auditor-General has also been called in to conduct a forensic audit of all financial transactions linked to the scheme.
The developments reflect the Mahama administration’s stated commitment to fighting corruption and enforcing discipline in public institutions.
“President Mahama’s government will continue to demonstrate zero tolerance for corruption, naked conflict of interest, and blatant abuse of office,” Ablakwa emphasized.
The temporary closure of the embassy is expected to affect consular services for a few days. The Ministry has expressed regret for the inconvenience to Ghanaians in the United States and assured the public that normal operations will resume once the reforms are complete.
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