The government through the Ministry Foreign Affairs, has shut down Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C. in the United States of America following revelations of corrupt practices.
The sector Minister, Sameul Okudzeto Ablakwa, in a social media post this morning announced the immediate dismissal of Mr. Fred Kwarteng, a local staff member implicated in an elaborate fraud scheme involving unauthorised charges on visa and passport applicants.
Mr. Kwarteng, recruited in August 2017 to the embassy’s IT department, allegedly created an unauthorised link on the embassy’s official website.
This link redirected applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where extra fees ranging from US$29.75 to US$60 were charged without the ministry or parliamentary approval.
Mr. Ablakwa said the investigations reveal that he and his collaborators operated this illegal scheme for at least five years.
The Foreign Affairs Minister confirmed that the case has been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution. In addition to the dismissal, all Ministry of Foreign
Affairs staff posted at the Washington embassy have been recalled immediately, and all locally recruited staff there have been suspended. The embassy’s IT department has also been dissolved to prevent further abuse.
A Daily Guide Report