Ghana’s embassy in the United States capital has been hit by a corruption scandal, prompting swift action from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The minister announced the dismissal of Fred Kwarteng, a locally recruited IT staff member, and the suspension of all other locally hired employees at the embassy
Investigations revealed that Mr. Kwarteng allegedly created an unauthorized link on the embassy’s official website, redirecting visa and passport applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC). Through this scheme, applicants were charged extra fees ranging from $29.75 to $60, which were not approved by the Ministry or Parliament
The fraudulent operation reportedly lasted for five years, with funds from unsuspecting applicants being deposited directly into Mr. Kwarteng’s personal account. The scandal has led to the recall of all Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff posted to the Washington mission, and the dissolution of the embassy’s IT department to prevent further abuse
Minister Ablakwa confirmed that the case has been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution, with efforts underway to recover the misappropriated funds. Additionally, the Auditor-General has been tasked with conducting a forensic examination of all transactions linked to the fraudulent scheme
In response to the scandal, the Ghanaian government has temporarily shut down the embassy to allow for a full restructuring and systems overhaul. Minister Ablakwa acknowledged the inconvenience this may cause to visa and passport applicants but emphasized that the government remains committed to zero tolerance for corruption
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