Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed that the scam was orchestrated by a locally recruited information technology staff member, Fred Quartey, who reportedly redirected online visa and passport applicants to a private website. There, unsuspecting users were charged unauthorised fees ranging from $29 to $60.

The fraud appears to have been in operation for over five years, and initial findings suggest Quartey did not act alone. Investigators believe other embassy staff may have collaborated, potentially helping siphon off hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Dollars from applicants, many of whom were travelling during peak holiday seasons.

All Ghana-based diplomats stationed in Washington have been recalled, while locally employed staff have been suspended. The Foreign Ministry has yet to clarify whether those suspensions are with or without pay.

Both the Auditor General and Attorney General have been tasked with leading a full-scale investigation, including the recovery of misappropriated funds. While the government has committed to retrieving the money, it remains unclear whether affected individuals will be reimbursed.

The development has sparked widespread public anger, particularly among Ghanaians in the diaspora. Many have expressed disbelief that embassy personnel, often paid in foreign currency and enjoying favourable conditions, would engage in such exploitative practices.

Calls are growing for similar audits to be conducted across Ghana’s global missions, following concerns that similar irregularities may exist in other consulates, including in New York.

Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is expected to summon Ablakwa for further clarification, including when the Washington mission will resume operations.

The embassy’s closure is already impacting consular services and revenue collection, as the Washington post is Ghana’s largest overseas mission.

--ChannelAfrica--