Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced the immediate dismissal of Fred Kwarteng, a local IT staffer at Ghana’s embassy in Washington, DC, following damning findings from a special audit.
“With the firm support of President Mahama, I have carried out the following drastic and decisive actions,” Mr Ablakwa stated on X, confirming Kwarteng’s removal for creating an unauthorized link that diverted passport and visa applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC).
Kwarteng, who was recruited on August 11, 2017, allegedly charged unapproved fees ranging from $29.75 to $60 per applicant, pocketing the proceeds outside official channels.
The Minister also announced sweeping reforms, including the recall of all ministry staff posted to the embassy, suspension of all local hires, dissolution of the IT department, and a temporary closure of the embassy.
The matter has been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and recovery of misappropriated funds. A forensic audit by the Auditor-General is set to determine the total cost of the five-year scheme.
Ablakwa apologized for the inconvenience the embassy closure may cause, but stressed, “President Mahama’s government will continue to demonstrate zero tolerance for corruption, naked conflict of interest and blatant abuse of office.”
