The Embassy of Ghana in Washington D.C. is set to resume full consular services on Thursday, May 29, following a temporary closure triggered by a major corruption and IT fraud scandal.
The embassy was shut down on May 26 to allow for a comprehensive restructuring and systems overhaul after an internal breach was uncovered. Investigations revealed that a locally recruited IT officer had exploited the embassy’s digital infrastructure to redirect applicants through unauthorized channels for personal financial gain.
In a statement released on Tuesday, May 27, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the deployment of “a team of seasoned diplomats led by an astute officer from the Ministry” to take charge of the mission. Their mandate is to implement a total systems overhaul, restore public trust, and complete structural reforms.
An IT team has also been dispatched to reconfigure the embassy’s website and payment platforms, eliminating all unofficial and unauthorized links connected to the previous system.
Accountability Measures Underway
The matter has been referred to the Attorney-General for potential prosecution and recovery of misappropriated funds. Concurrently, the Auditor-General has been directed to conduct a full forensic audit to assess the total financial loss to the state.
The Ministry expressed regret for the disruption caused to Ghanaian nationals and other applicants but emphasized that the stringent measures were necessary to restore accountability and operational integrity within Ghana’s foreign missions.
Background to the Scandal
The temporary closure followed damning revelations from a special audit team, which uncovered a long-running fraudulent scheme at the embassy. According to the Ministry, Fred Kwarteng, a locally hired IT officer, created an unauthorized link on the embassy’s official website. This link rerouted visa and passport applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC).
Applicants were charged unapproved processing fees ranging from $29.75 to $60, which were funneled into Kwarteng’s personal account. Investigators believe the scheme operated undetected for at least five years.
In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recalled all staff assigned to the Washington D.C. mission, dissolved the embassy’s IT department, and suspended all locally recruited personnel pending further investigation.
