Foreign Affairs Minister Okudzeto Ablakwa Shuts Down Ghana’s Embassy In Washington, D.C

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has taken swift action in response to reports of corruption at Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced a series of decisive actions following revelations of corruption at Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C.

In a statement posted to his social media platforms on Monday, May 26, 2025, Mr. Ablakwa revealed the immediate dismissal of Mr. Fred Kwarteng, a local staff member implicated in a sophisticated fraud scheme involving unauthorized charges on visa and passport applicants.

Mr. Kwarteng, who was recruited in August 2017 to work in the embassy’s IT department, allegedly created an unauthorized link on the official website of the Ghanaian embassy. This link redirected users to his private business, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where additional fees ranging from US$29.75 to US$60 were charged—fees that were not sanctioned by the Ministry or approved by Parliament.

“With the firm support of President Mahama, I have carried out the following drastic and decisive actions after receiving the damning findings of a special audit team I commissioned a few months ago to investigate reports of corruption at our Washington, D.C. mission,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.

He further explained that investigations uncovered a long-running scheme in which Mr. Kwarteng and his associates operated the unauthorized payment system for at least five years.

The Foreign Affairs Minister confirmed that the case has been formally referred to the Attorney-General for potential prosecution, along with efforts to recover all funds obtained through the fraudulent scheme.

“This conduct is a serious breach of public trust and will be met with the full force of the law,” Mr. Ablakwa stated firmly.

In addition to the immediate dismissal of Mr. Fred Kwarteng, the Minister has ordered the recall of all Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff currently posted at Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C. Furthermore, all locally recruited staff have been suspended pending further investigations. As a preventive measure, the embassy’s IT department has been completely dissolved to avert any future abuse of systems.

These sweeping reforms, Mr. Ablakwa noted, underscore the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and restoring integrity within Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad.

With the firm support of President Mahama, I have carried out the following drastic and decisive actions following the damming findings of a special audit team i put together a couple of months ago to investigate alleged corrupt practices at Ghana’s embassy in Washington DC:

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— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) May 26, 2025

Source: Nkonkonsa.com