Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced the temporary closure of the country’s embassy in Washington, D.C., in response to a major corruption scandal uncovered at the diplomatic mission.
Speaking on Monday, May 26, 2025, Mr. Ablakwa described the move as part of a broader effort to restructure and reform embassy operations following the findings of a special audit. The audit uncovered a long-running fraudulent scheme that prompted immediate action from the Ministry.
“This is one of several decisive measures I am implementing with the full backing of President Mahama, in response to the disturbing revelations brought to light by the audit team I commissioned a few months ago,” Ablakwa said. “While regrettable, the closure is essential to restore transparency, accountability, and public trust.”
At the heart of the scandal is Fred Kwarteng, a locally hired IT staff member employed since August 2017. Kwarteng admitted to setting up an unauthorized link on the embassy’s official website, redirecting applicants for visas and passports to his private business, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC). There, users were charged unapproved fees ranging from $29.75 to $60—payments that went directly into his personal account.
The illegal scheme, which bypassed official channels and violated the Fees and Charges Act, is believed to have gone undetected for at least five years. The case has now been referred to the Attorney-General for prosecution and recovery of misappropriated funds.
In addition to shutting down the mission, Mr. Ablakwa announced several immediate actions:
All Foreign Ministry staff assigned to the Washington, D.C. embassy have been recalled to Accra.
The embassy’s IT department has been disbanded.
All locally hired staff have been suspended pending further investigation.
The Auditor-General has been instructed to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit to determine the full financial impact of the fraud.
While acknowledging the inconvenience the temporary closure may cause to Ghanaians and foreign nationals needing consular services, the Minister stressed that firm action is needed to eliminate entrenched malpractice.
“The Mahama administration remains firmly committed to rooting out corruption, conflicts of interest, and abuse of office at all levels of government,” he stated.
