In a decisive move to uphold integrity and accountability in Ghana’s foreign missions, North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has revealed that Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., has been temporarily shut down following the discovery of fraudulent activities involving embassy staff.
According to the lawmaker, who has been leading a series of investigations into government operations at home and abroad, the decision to close the embassy was taken after credible evidence emerged indicating that some staff were implicated in serious financial malfeasance.
While full details of the fraudulent activity have not yet been made public, Ablakwa stated that the closure was necessary to prevent further compromise of Ghana’s diplomatic interests and to allow for a thorough investigation without interference.
“This is not a matter that can be swept under the rug. Our foreign missions must reflect the highest standards of professionalism and accountability. The rot uncovered at the Ghana Embassy in Washington is deeply troubling, and I commend the swift decision to temporarily shut down operations to allow for full-scale investigations,” he said in a statement.
Sources indicate that a special audit team has been dispatched to the embassy, and a number of implicated staff have been recalled to Accra for questioning. It remains unclear how long the embassy will remain closed, but consular services are expected to be redirected or temporarily handled by other nearby Ghanaian missions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but pressure is mounting for full transparency and the prosecution of any individuals found guilty of misconduct.
This development forms part of a broader call by civil society and some members of Parliament for stronger oversight of Ghana’s diplomatic missions worldwide.
Read the original post from Ablakwa
With the firm support of President Mahama, I have carried out the following drastic and decisive actions following the damming findings of a special audit team I put together a couple of months ago to investigate alleged corrupt practices at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, DC:
1) The immediate dismissal of Fred Kwarteng.
Kwarteng was a local staff member recruited on August 11, 2017, to work in the embassy’s IT department. According to findings and his admission, he created an unauthorised link on the embassy’s website, which diverted visa and passport applicants to his company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where he charged extra for multiple services on the blind side of the ministry and kept the entire proceeds in his private account. His illegal extra charges, which were not approved by the ministry and parliament as required under the Fees Act, range from US$29.75 to US$60 per applicant. The Investigations reveal that he and his collaborators operated this illegal scheme for at least 5 years.
This conduct has been reported to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and retrieval of funds obtained through fraudulent schemes.
2) All Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff posted to the Washington embassy have been recalled home with immediate effect.
3) The embassy’s IT department has been promptly dissolved.
4) All locally recruited staff at the embassy have been suspended.
5) The Auditor-General has been invited to conduct forensic examination of all transactions and to determine the total cost of this elaborate fraudulent scheme.
6) Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C., will be closed for a few days from Monday, May 26, as we finalise the ongoing restructuring and systems overhaul.
Any inconvenience these radical measures may cause visa and passport applicants is regretted.
President Mahama’s government will continue to demonstrate zero tolerance for corruption, naked conflict of interest and blatant abuse of office.
More updates soon.
