May 27, 2025
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the temporary closure of its D.C. embassy to restructure after fraud.
On May 26, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the temporary closure of the country’s embassy.
The Washington, D.C. embassy was shut down following the discovery of a visa and passport fraud scheme. An internal audit uncovered that a locally recruited staff member, Fred Kwarteng, orchestrated a fraud operation. The operation is said to have occurred over five years, the BBC reported.
Kwarteng and his collaborators created an unauthorized link on the embassy’s visa website. The link redirected applicants to Ghana Travel Consultants. Subsequently, applicants were charged unapproved fees ranging from $30 to $60 by Ghana Travel Consultant’s services, which should have been processed directly by the embassy.
The false visa transaction proceeds were then funneled to staff members’ private accounts. In response to these findings, Minister Ablakwa made a post on Facebook detailing the scheme and subsequent actions by the government. Ghana’s foreign ministry denies knowledge of the scheme and lays the blame at Kwarteng’s feet. According to the government, the employees’ actions are “illicit” and unapproved.
The Ghanaian-Washington D.C.-recruited staff have been suspended. The foreign ministry personnel in Washington have been recalled to Ghana. The Ghanaian embassy closure is expected to last a few days to facilitate a comprehensive restructuring and systems overhaul. Preventing future misconduct is the goal of the closure.
The matter has been referred to the attorney general for potential prosecution. The attorney general will also seek reimbursement for the stolen funds. Ablakwa stressed that the Ghanaian government is committed to zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of office.
Though the government is taking responsibility and disciplining its employees, other Ghanaian officials are taking exception to the Facebook press release. Deputy Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Kwame Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, reported the concerns of many Ghanaian officials.
Ayeh believes that swift action to make a statement can ruin the country’s reputation.
“You think stakeholders — like the U.S. government — would be comfortable dealing with an embassy that Ghana’s own minister has declared fraudulent? This is why we insist the minister’s approach was flawed.”
Whether the government has taken a hit on its reputation due to these events remains to be seen.
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