Locally hired staff at the embassy have been suspended, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister announced the temporary closure of the country’s embassy in Washington, DC, amid an investigation into an alleged visa scam.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the embassy will remain closed following “damning findings” from an audit team he formed to probe corruption at the diplomatic mission.
The statement noted that the closure would last “a few days” while a “restructuring and systems overhaul” is completed.
According to Ablakwa, a locally recruited staff member and their “collaborators” allegedly ran a “fraudulent” scheme, extracting money from visa and passport applicants.
The scheme reportedly involved creating an unauthorized link on the embassy’s website, redirecting applicants to a private firm where they were “charged extra for multiple services” without the foreign ministry’s knowledge.
Ablakwa added that the staff member “kept the entire proceeds” in a private account, and that the scam had been ongoing for five years.
Applicants seeking visas were charged unapproved fees ranging from nearly $30 (£22) to $60 by the private firm.
“This conduct has been reported to the attorney-general for possible prosecution and recovery of funds obtained through fraudulent schemes,” Ablakwa said.
As a result, foreign ministry staff in Washington “have been recalled home,” and “all locally recruited staff at the embassy have been suspended,” Ablakwa confirmed.
“President [John] Mahama’s government will continue to demonstrate zero tolerance for corruption, naked conflict of interest, and blatant abuse of office.”
