Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. has reopened today, Thursday, May 29, 2025, after a temporary closure due to a corruption scandal involving the Embassy’s visa section. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, ordered the closure on Monday, May 26, after discovering that a local IT staff member had allegedly diverted funds belonging to the Embassy into a personal account
The IT staff member, accused of creating an unauthorized link on the Embassy’s website, redirected visa and passport applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants, where unapproved fees were charged. This fraudulent scheme reportedly operated undetected for several years, prompting the Minister to take swift action.
Chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, has thrown his support behind the Minister’s decision, describing it as a necessary step to safeguard public funds and maintain accountability. “When we see corruption, we will not condone it,” he said, adding that the public will be served without corruption when the embassy reopens.
However, the Minority in Parliament has urged the Foreign Affairs Minister to adopt a more tactful and consultative approach in executing his duties. They criticized the use of social media for major foreign policy announcements, citing it as a departure from Ghana’s tradition of quiet diplomacy. “Such a significant action should have been preceded by a briefing to the committee and addressed through tactful diplomatic channels,” said Samuel A. Jinapor, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reconfigured the Embassy’s website to eliminate unauthorized links and deployed a team of seasoned diplomats to oversee the mission’s operations and implement structural reforms. The circumstances leading to the closure have been reported to the Auditor-General and the Attorney-General for further action and appropriate sanctions.
