The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced the temporary closure of Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C. This decision comes in response to allegations of widespread corruption and abuse of office within the diplomatic mission. Mr. Ablakwa made the announcement on Monday, May 26, 2025, stating that the closure is part of efforts to complete the ongoing restructuring and overhaul of systems. This follows findings from a special audit team that uncovered a long-standing fraudulent scheme at the embassy.
He described the move as regrettable but necessary to restore integrity and accountability to Ghana’s diplomatic operations. “This is part of the drastic and decisive actions I have taken with the firm support of President Mahama, following the troubling findings of a special audit team that I assembled a couple of months ago to investigate alleged corrupt practices at Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C.,” he stated.
At the center of the scandal is Fred Kwarteng, a locally recruited IT staff member who was employed in August 2017. He admitted to creating an unauthorised link on the embassy’s website, which redirected visa and passport applicants to his private firm, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC). There, applicants were charged unapproved fees ranging from US$29.75 to US$60.
These payments, which were not sanctioned by the Ministry or Parliament under the Fees and Charges Act, went directly into Kwarteng’s personal account. Investigations suggest the scheme had operated undetected for at least five years. The matter has been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and the recovery of misappropriated funds.
Mr. Ablakwa further announced that all Foreign Ministry staff posted to the Washington D.C. mission have been recalled to Accra. The embassy’s IT department has been dissolved, and all locally recruited staff have been suspended pending further investigations. The Auditor-General has been tasked with conducting a full forensic audit to determine the total financial loss to the state.
While acknowledging the inconvenience the temporary closure may cause Ghanaians and foreign nationals seeking consular services, Mr. Ablakwa insisted that such bold action is essential to cleanse the system. “President Mahama’s government will continue to demonstrate zero tolerance for corruption, naked conflict of interest, and blatant abuse of office,” he emphasised.
By: Fred Duhoe
