Fred Kwarteng defends himself over unauthorised payment portal allegations

Fred Kwarteng, former Head of IT at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington D.C., denies corruption allegations. He was implicated in an unauthorized payment scheme.

In an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen program, Mr. Kwarteng explained his online system. He developed it to reduce internal processing delays and improve consular services.

He stated that the system was part of several projects he completed for the embassy without pay. “This system wasn’t for profit,” he said. “I did this at no cost to the embassy.”

A special audit report accused him of creating an unauthorized payment portal. This portal allegedly redirected passport applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC). The portal charged fees between $29.75 and $60, which were not approved under Ghana’s Fees and Charges Act.

The scandal led Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to temporarily close the embassy on May 26, 2025. This closure aimed for a “comprehensive restructuring and systems overhaul.” The embassy resumed full operations on May 29.

Mr. Kwarteng confirmed he received a termination letter from the Acting Head of Mission. However, he did not disclose when he received it. “I have received a letter communicating my dismissal,” he said, adding that he hasn’t met with the Minister yet.

He described his role as reporting to administration and managing technology matters alone.

Mr. Kwarteng addressed claims that he admitted wrongdoing during the audit. He stated, “I don’t know where the report came from or who compiled it.” On May 19, a delegation from Accra met him about extra charges, and he provided a full explanation.

He insisted that he acted in good faith and did not realize his actions could be seen as misconduct.