In a sweeping anti-corruption move backed by President John Dramani Mahama, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa has announced a series of drastic measures to address fraudulent practices uncovered at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington DC.

Following the damning findings of a special audit team commissioned a few months ago, Mr. Ablakwa disclosed that Mr. Fred Kwarteng, a local staff member recruited in August 2017, has been immediately dismissed for masterminding an elaborate illegal scheme that siphoned visa and passport application fees into a private account.

According to the audit, Kwarteng created an unauthorised link on the embassy’s website that redirected visa and passport applicants to his personal company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC).

Through this route, applicants were charged additional unapproved fees ranging from $29.75 to $60, in clear violation of the Fees and Charges Act.

The scheme is believed to have run covertly for at least five years.

The matter has been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and the retrieval of funds obtained through the illegal operation.

In response to the audit report, Mr. Ablakwa has taken the following bold actions:

Dismissal of Fred Kwarteng, the implicated staff.

Immediate recall of all Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff posted to the Washington DC embassy.

Dissolution of the embassy’s IT department.

Suspension of all locally recruited staff.

Request for a forensic audit by the Auditor-General to determine the total financial loss.

Temporary closure of the embassy to facilitate restructuring and a comprehensive systems overhaul.

“These radical steps, though inconvenient to visa and passport applicants, are necessary to restore integrity and transparency in the operations of the embassy,” Ablakwa stated.

He emphasised that the Mahama-led administration remains committed to a policy of zero tolerance for corruption, conflict of interest, and abuse of office.

Visa and passport services will be resumed once the restructuring process is completed.