Ghana Embassy Shut Down: Millions Lost in Visa Scam

Ghana's Washington Embassy Temporarily Closed Amidst Multi-Million Dollar Visa Scam Ghana has temporarily closed its embassy in Washington D.C. following the discovery of a major visa scam involving millions of dollars. The scandal led to the immediate dismissal of the embassy's IT head, Fred Kwarteng, and the suspension of all locally hired staff. According to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a five-year scam was uncovered during an internal audit. "A shadow website was secretly redirecting visa and passport applicants from the official embassy portal to a private one," Ablakwa stated in a Facebook post. This private website belonged to Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), allegedly run by Kwarteng. Applicants were charged extra fees, ranging from $29 to $60, which were not approved by parliament and likely never reached government accounts. The swift action taken by the government, including the closure of the embassy and the dissolution of its IT department, has drawn both praise and criticism. Some members of parliament have accused the Minister of violating international protocol by announcing such drastic decisions publicly before informing staff or the host country. The Auditor-General has been called in to conduct a forensic examination of all transactions. Despite the controversy, the government's decisive response demonstrates a commitment to tackling corruption. The temporary closure of the embassy allows for a thorough restructuring of systems and processes to prevent future occurrences. The investigation is ongoing, and further updates are expected.