The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken decisive action following a major fraud scandal involving Mr. Frederick Kwarteng, a former IT officer at Ghana’s diplomatic mission in Washington DC. The Ministry has referred Mr. Kwarteng to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Attorney General for prosecution after a special audit revealed serious misconduct.
According to Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the investigation uncovered that Mr. Kwarteng set up a private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), which illegally handled visa and passport applications, generating an estimated $4.8 million annually. The suspect reportedly steered applicants to his company, bypassing official processes and contracts, while also providing unauthorized courier services to the mission.
The fallout from these revelations was so severe that the mission was temporarily closed on May 26, 2025, to allow for a thorough review and restructuring. Minister Ablakwa emphasized that the closure was necessary to overhaul the mission’s systems, improve security, and restore public trust.
To ensure transparency and accountability, the Ministry has established an Internal Investigative Committee to examine the conduct of all locally recruited staff, with 25 employees already interviewed and several resignations tendered. EOCO has been tasked with tracing illicit funds, apprehending collaborators, and facilitating Mr. Kwarteng’s return to Ghana for prosecution.
In collaboration with U.S. authorities, efforts are underway to freeze any related accounts. The Auditor-General has also been invited to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit to assess the full scale of the fraudulent activities.
Minister Ablakwa detailed ongoing reforms, including a biometric attendance system, enhanced IT security, removal of unauthorized access points, introduction of live chat support, and improved communication lines to better serve clients. The mission is also rolling out mandatory professional training for staff to strengthen client service and ethics.
Despite the gravity of the case, the Minister confirmed that the Washington DC Mission has now fully reopened, with operations stabilizing and confidence gradually being restored.
“This scandal exposed critical weaknesses, but it has also galvanized our commitment to institutional reforms,” Mr. Ablakwa said. “We are resolute in ensuring justice, upholding integrity, and delivering excellent service across all Ghanaian diplomatic missions worldwide.”
The Ministry’s swift response sends a strong message that corruption and abuse of office will not be tolerated, as Ghana works to safeguard the credibility of its foreign missions.
