Ghana: Washington DC Embassy Closure ...Majority Defends Okudzeto Ablakwa

The Majority members of the Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs defended Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. They stated he did not make a mistake by temporarily closing the Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C.

They emphasized that they would not let self-serving individuals damage the country's image. This was in response to alleged fraudulent acts at the embassies.

At a media briefing in Accra, Mr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije spoke on behalf of the committee. He said closing the embassy due to corruption is a positive step. It sends a strong warning to staff at other embassies.

Mr. Vanderpuije noted that President John Dramani Mahama's agenda cannot succeed if diplomatic facilities are misused. He mentioned that after maintenance and auditing, the embassy will reopen.

He urged the Minister to remove corrupt staff from all embassies abroad. This is necessary to restore Ghana's damaged image.

The Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C., closed temporarily for investigations into corruption on May 26, 2025.

A special audit team uncovered corrupt practices, including illegal extra charges over five years.

A statement from Mr. Ablakwa announced that all staff at the embassy were recalled immediately. The IT department was also dissolved promptly.

Mr. Fred Kwarteng was dismissed for creating an unauthorized section on the embassy's website. This section diverted visa and passport applicants to his company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC).

The illegal charges ranged from $29.75 to $60 per applicant and were not approved by the ministry or Parliament as required by law. Investigations revealed this scheme operated for at least five years with collaborators involved.