Ghana takes decisive action after US graft revelations

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has taken decisive action following revelations of corrupt practices at Ghana’s embassy in Washington, in the US, reports My Joy Online. Ablakwa announced the immediate dismissal of Fred Kwarteng, a local staff member implicated in an elaborate fraud scheme involving unauthorised charges on visa and passport applicants. Kwarteng, recruited in August 2017 to the embassy’s IT department, allegedly created an unauthorised link on the embassy’s official website. This link redirected applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where extra fees ranging from US$29.75 to US$60 were charged without ministry or parliamentary approval. Ablakwa explained that ‘the investigations reveal that he and his collaborators operated this illegal scheme for at least five years’. The Foreign Affairs Minister confirmed that the case has been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and efforts to recover funds acquired through these fraudulent activities. ‘This conduct is a serious breach of public trust and will be met with the full force of the law,’ he stated. In addition to the dismissal, all Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff posted at the Washington embassy have been recalled immediately, and all locally recruited staff there have been suspended. The embassy’s IT department has also been dissolved to prevent further abuse.