By Stephen Apolima |Accra, May 25, 2025
Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, has taken decisive action following the uncovering of a five-year corruption scheme at the country’s embassy in Washington, D.C., involving unauthorized visa processing fees and a private company linked to an embassy staff member.
In a strongly worded statement issued on social media, the Foreign Minister announced the immediate dismissal of Mr. Fred Kwarteng, a local IT staffer recruited in 2017, after a special audit revealed that he had established an unauthorized link on the embassy’s website. This link covertly redirected visa and passport applicants to his privately owned firm, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where they were charged unapproved fees ranging from \$29.75 to \$60 per applicant.
According to the findings of the audit committee—set up by Minister Ablakwa months earlier—Kwarteng and his collaborators diverted these funds into personal accounts, operating the scheme entirely outside the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in violation of the Fees and Charges Act. The audit found the fraud persisted for at least five years.
“The conduct is not only a betrayal of public trust but a direct affront to the integrity of Ghana’s diplomatic service,” Ablakwa said. “The matter has been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and full recovery of the stolen funds.”
Backed by President John Dramani Mahama, the Foreign Minister has initiated sweeping reforms at the mission, including:
- The immediate recall of all Ministry staff posted to the Washington embassy.
- Dissolution of the embassy’s IT department.
- Suspension of all locally recruited staff pending further investigations.
- A request to the Auditor-General to conduct a forensic audit of all financial transactions associated with the embassy.
- A temporary closure of the embassy to finalize a full restructuring and overhaul of its operations.
Minister Ablakwa acknowledged that the closure may inconvenience applicants but emphasized that “the integrity of Ghana’s foreign missions must never be compromised.”
“These radical measures reflect the government’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, conflict of interest, and abuse of office,” he said, adding that further updates will be provided in due course.
The developments have sent shockwaves through Ghana’s diplomatic community and signal a clear intent by the Mahama administration to crack down on malpractice within foreign missions. The Washington embassy, one of Ghana’s most strategically important diplomatic posts, is expected to resume operations under a new leadership and oversight structure once the reforms are complete.
This incident comes at a time when public demand for accountability and institutional reform in Ghana remains high. Observers say the Foreign Minister’s swift and transparent handling of the situation may set a new standard for governance across the diplomatic corps.
Sankofaonline.com will continue to follow this story as it unfolds.
