Ghana’s government has temporarily shut down its embassy in Washington, D.C., following a major scandal involving an alleged visa fraud scheme that spanned five years.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced the decision after an internal audit team uncovered “damning findings” pointing to systemic corruption at the embassy.
The minister disclosed that the scam involved a locally recruited embassy staff member who, alongside undisclosed collaborators, created a fraudulent external link embedded within the official embassy website.
This unauthorized link redirected visa and passport applicants to a private company unaffiliated with the Ghanaian government.
Applicants were then charged unapproved processing fees ranging from $30 to $60 for basic consular services that were otherwise meant to be handled directly by the embassy.
Ablakwa said these fees were not only unapproved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but also entirely diverted into the private accounts of the perpetrators, with no record of the transactions reaching government financial systems.
“The implicated staffer kept the entire proceeds for personal gain. This is a clear breach of public trust and abuse of diplomatic infrastructure,” the minister stated.
The fraudulent operation reportedly went undetected for years, with hundreds—possibly thousands—of applicants unknowingly paying inflated fees. Some victims raised concerns about the process, prompting a formal investigation that led to the revelation of the scam.
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“In light of these developments, all locally recruited staff at the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington have been suspended, and foreign service officers have been recalled to Accra for further questioning”, said the minister.
The Ministry has also submitted the case to the Attorney-General’s office for possible prosecution of those involved and initiate efforts to recover the stolen funds.
Minister Ablakwa emphasized that the embassy will remain closed for a few days to allow for a comprehensive “restructuring and systems overhaul.”
This includes revamping the embassy’s digital platforms, strengthening oversight, and implementing more rigorous internal control systems to prevent future breaches.
He also highlighted the government’s commitment under President John Mahama’s administration to maintain zero tolerance for corruption
“This is not just an administrative response. It is a signal that any breach of public accountability, especially on foreign soil, will be dealt with decisively”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a notice to the public advising Ghanaians in the United States to exercise caution and to seek consular services only through officially sanctioned channels.
Plans are underway to temporarily redirect urgent consular services to the Ghanaian Mission in New York until the Washington embassy resumes operational.
The scandal has sparked public outrage both within Ghana and among diaspora communities, with calls for better digital security, more transparency in embassy operations, and stiffer penalties for abuse of office in the foreign service.
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