Ghana’s government has initiated a criminal investigation into an alleged multimillion-dollar visa fraud operation at its Washington embassy, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced in Parliament.
The probe targets IT officer Fred Kwarteng, accused of diverting $4.8 million annually through unauthorized visa processing channels since 2017.
“Kwarteng created an illegal website link redirecting applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants, while retaining all proceeds,” Ablakwa revealed, citing findings from a ministerial audit. The scandal has prompted immediate recalls for all diplomatic staff and suspension of local employees at the Washington mission, which temporarily closed in May for systems restructuring.
Anti-corruption analysts note this case exposes critical vulnerabilities in Ghana’s overseas operations, particularly in financial oversight of locally engaged staff. The investigation represents the most significant diplomatic corruption case since Ghana’s 2018 passport scandal in London, testing the government’s commitment to accountability in foreign service operations.
