Ghana's Washington D.C. Embassy to Reopen on May 29 After Corruption Scandal

Washington D.C, USA - 28 May, 2025 - The Ghanaian Embassy in Washington D.C. is set to reopen on May 29, 2025, following a temporary closure triggered by a major corruption scandal involving IT staff member Fred Kwarteng, who allegedly created an unauthorized link on the embassy's website to redirect applicants to his company, charging unapproved fees.

This link, according to Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, redirected visa and passport applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants, where they were charged unapproved fees ranging from $29.75 to $60, netting Kwarteng unauthorized payments for at least five years.

The scandal led to a swift response from Mr Ablakwa, who ordered the temporary closure and initiated a thorough investigation. A new team of diplomats, led by a senior official from the Ministry, has been assigned to take over operations and execute a complete system overhaul.

An IT team has already been deployed to reconfigure the embassy's website and payment platforms, removing all unauthorized links.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, measures are in place to address the backlog of services, and the public can contact the embassy through designated email addresses and phone numbers for inquiries.

The Ministry has also reported the circumstances leading to the closure to the Auditor-General and the Attorney-General for further investigation and appropriate sanctions. 

In a statement, the Ministry assured the public of its commitment to enhancing service delivery, upholding transparency and accountability, and safeguarding Ghana's reputation on the international stage.

Read the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs below;

Source: Lead News Online