Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., United States, is scheduled to reopen on Thursday, May 29, 2025, after a temporary closure caused by a major corruption scandal. This announcement follows a directive issued by Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Monday, May 26, which ordered the embassy’s closure in response to allegations of widespread corruption and abuse of office at the mission.
Fred Kwarteng, a locally recruited IT staff member hired in August 2017, has been identified as the key figure in the scandal. He admitted to creating an unauthorised link on the Embassy’s website. The link redirected visa and passport applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where they were charged unapproved fees ranging from $29.75 to $60.
The payments, which were neither authorised by the Ministry nor approved by Parliament under the Fees Act, were directly deposited into Kwarteng’s account. Investigations suggest that this scheme may have gone unnoticed for at least five years. In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, it was announced that a new team of diplomats, led by a senior official from the Ministry, has been assigned to take over operations at the Mission.
The statement outlines a comprehensive overhaul of the Embassy’s operations, aimed at restoring integrity and finalising ongoing structural reforms. As part of this reform process, an Information Technology (IT) team has already been deployed to reconfigure the Embassy’s website and payment platforms. This effort includes the removal of all unofficial and unauthorised links previously associated with the Embassy’s digital infrastructure. The Ministry has assured the public that measures are being implemented to address the backlog of services and has apologised for any inconvenience caused by the closure.
For inquiries, the public may contact:
Email: washington@mfa.gov.gh | Phone: +1 202 686 4520
Email: ipab@mfa.gov.gh | Phone: +233 240 793 072
The Ministry also noted that the circumstances leading to the closure have been reported to the Auditor-General and the Attorney-General for further investigation and appropriate sanctions. Reaffirming its commitment, the Ministry pledged to enhance service delivery, uphold transparency and accountability, and safeguard Ghana’s reputation on the international stage.
By: William Narh
