Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has temporarily shut down its embassy in Washington D.C., United States, following a major visa fraud scandal involving staff at the diplomatic mission.
The decision to close the embassy was announced by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who described the findings of a recent audit into the embassy’s operations as “damning”. The closure, which will last for a few days, is to allow for a total restructuring and overhaul of the embassy’s systems.
According to report, the scandal involves an alleged money-for-visa scheme that has been ongoing for five years. The minister revealed that a locally recruited staff member and other unnamed collaborators were running an illegal operation by diverting visa and passport applicants to a private company through an unauthorised link on the embassy’s website.
“This private firm then charged applicants additional and unapproved fees for various services,” Ablakwa stated, describing the situation as fraudulent and deeply disappointing. The foreign ministry said that fees ranging from $30 to $60 were being illegally collected without the ministry’s knowledge.
He explained that the person behind the scheme was not only collecting the funds secretly but also keeping all the proceeds in a personal bank account, making it a clear case of embezzlement and abuse of office.
The fraudulent setup reportedly allowed the firm to control access to Ghanaian consular services such as visa and passport processing by manipulating the official website. This meant many applicants were unknowingly paying more than the approved fees without receiving any official receipts or recognition from the embassy.
Minister Ablakwa confirmed that all foreign ministry staff at the embassy in Washington D.C. have been recalled, and all locally hired staff have been suspended pending further investigation. He also said that the matter has been referred to Ghana’s Attorney-General for possible prosecution and efforts are underway to recover all stolen funds.
“This behaviour is unacceptable. President John Mahama’s administration maintains a zero-tolerance stance on corruption, conflicts of interest, and abuse of office,” Ablakwa emphasized.
He assured the Ghanaian public and the international community that the government will continue to uphold high standards of integrity, especially in foreign missions that represent the country abroad.
The embassy is expected to reopen after the restructuring is completed, with new checks and security measures to prevent such issues from happening again. Ablakwa also mentioned that the ministry is reviewing its embassy operations worldwide to ensure similar incidents are not taking place in other locations.
Analysts say the case is an embarrassment to Ghana’s diplomatic reputation, especially in a country like the United States where many Ghanaians reside and depend on consular services. Calls have also been made for better oversight of embassies and tougher sanctions on foreign mission staff found guilty of corruption.
Some affected applicants have taken to social media to share their frustration, while others are asking for a refund of the extra charges they unknowingly paid. One Ghanaian living in Maryland said, “I paid extra thinking it was part of the process. Now I find out it was all a scam. The government must pay back the money.”
As the investigation continues, Minister Ablakwa said the government is committed to rebuilding trust and ensuring that no diplomatic official or civil servant is allowed to misuse their office for personal gain.
