Fred Kwarteng, a locally hired IT staff member, had redirected visa and passport applicants to his private company… charged unauthorized fees
Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. will reopen on Thursday, May 29, 2025, following a brief closure linked to a major corruption scandal.
The shutdown was ordered by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on May 26 after it emerged that Fred Kwarteng, a locally hired IT staff member, had redirected visa and passport applicants to his private company.
Kwarteng, employed since 2017, admitted to creating a hidden link on the Embassy’s website that routed applicants to Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where he charged unauthorized fees between $29.75 and $60. Funds were diverted to his personal account, with the scheme believed to have run undetected for five years.
A new diplomatic team has been deployed to overhaul operations and restore integrity. The Embassy’s website and payment systems are being reconfigured to prevent future abuse.
“The Ministry assures the public that integrity will be restored,” the official statement read.
The case has been referred to the Auditor-General and Attorney-General for further investigation and sanctions.