WASHINGTON — The Ghanaian government has temporarily closed its embassy in Washington, D.C., following revelations of a major corruption scandal involving unauthorized visa charges and systematic abuse of the embassy’s online services.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa made the announcement Monday, calling the move essential to restoring public trust and accountability in Ghana’s overseas missions.
“This marks the beginning of a decisive overhaul of our embassy operations, in response to deeply troubling audit findings,” Ablakwa said. “With full support from President John Mahama, we are taking bold steps to confront corruption head-on and rebuild institutional integrity.”
The closure follows a special audit that exposed a visa fraud scheme orchestrated by Fred Kwarteng, a locally hired IT officer who has worked at the embassy since 2017. Investigators found that Kwarteng had created an unauthorized external link on the embassy’s official website, redirecting applicants for visas and passports to a private company he owned, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC).
Applicants using the fraudulent site were charged unofficial fees ranging from $29.75 to $60, which were deposited directly into Kwarteng’s personal account. Authorities estimate that the scheme operated undetected for at least five years, in violation of Ghana’s Fees and Charges Act.
The case has been referred to the Attorney-General’s Office for potential prosecution, and officials are working to recover misappropriated funds.
As part of the fallout, all Foreign Ministry personnel assigned to the Washington embassy have been recalled to Accra. The embassy’s IT department has been dissolved, and all locally hired staff suspended pending further investigation.
Ablakwa confirmed that the Auditor-General will conduct a full forensic audit to determine the extent of financial losses and identify any additional lapses in oversight or complicity.
“We are committed to a thorough and transparent process,” Ablakwa said, vowing to hold accountable anyone found to have breached the public trust.
The closure has disrupted consular services for both Ghanaian nationals and foreign applicants in the United States. While the Foreign Ministry acknowledged the inconvenience, officials stressed the importance of acting decisively to root out systemic corruption.
“The administration of President Mahama stands firmly on a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, abuse of office, and conflicts of interest,” said Ablakwa. “Though this may be inconvenient, it is necessary for long-term accountability and reform.”
No specific date has been announced for when the Washington mission will reopen, though the ministry emphasized that consular operations will resume once restructuring is complete and security protocols are restored.
