The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ghana has taken action against the Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, and a junior Foreign Service Officer, Alhassan Sumani, due to an alleged scheme involving the illegal sale of Service Passports. This decision was made following an investigation into petitions submitted to the Ministry, which suggested that certain individuals were obtaining Service Passports through illegal payments. The Ministry announced the interdiction in a statement on November 8, 2026.
According to the Ministry, the investigation was initiated after receiving two petitions, one on October 8, 2026, and the other in 2026. The petitioners claimed to have paid US$29,000 and US$5,000, respectively, to individuals involved in the operation. A committee was established on October 13, 2026, under the instructions of Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to look into the allegations. Preliminary findings confirmed that ten people who did not qualify for Service Passports were issued the documents after making illegal payments.
The ten individuals who were issued Service Passports illegally have been identified as Richard Sakyi Apenteng, Augustina Agyei Boateng, Juliet Amankwa, Rebecca Agyeiwaa, Prince Ahensah, Maybel Ahensah, Twumasi Francis Kwame, Gyabaah Anthony, Frederick Ennin, and Bosompem Richard. The passports were issued between January 2023 and August 2026. The Ministry has cancelled all ten documents, and they can no longer be used. Furthermore, Ghana's international partners have been notified, and efforts are underway to pursue the individuals involved.
Two of the individuals named reportedly used the illegally acquired passports to travel in 2023. The Ministry also indicated that Ambassador Mohammed Habib Idris, who was Director of Passports during the period under investigation and has since retired, would be investigated by the security services and sanctioned if found culpable. The Ministry stressed that the allegations concern Service Passports and not Diplomatic Passports, and no evidence has emerged to suggest that Ghana's Diplomatic Passports were being sold.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has distinguished between Service Passports and Diplomatic Passports, emphasizing that the alleged scheme involves the former. According to official data from the Passport Office, 1,397 Service Passports were issued between 2009 and 2016, compared with 3,174 between 2017 and 2024, and 754 from 2025 to date. For Diplomatic Passports, the figures were 2,899 between 2009 and 2016, 5,682 between 2017 and 2024, and 1,944 from 2025 to date.
The Ministry has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, impartiality, and accountability, ensuring that anyone found culpable will be brought to justice. The alleged scheme predates the current administration, but the investigation is part of efforts to protect the credibility of Ghana's passport administration system. The Ministry will continue to work to prevent such incidents in the future.
The interdiction of the Acting Director of Passports and the junior officer is part of the Ministry's efforts to address the issue and prevent further irregularities. The Ministry will continue to investigate and take action against those involved in the alleged scheme.
Key points
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has interdicted Acting Director of Passports Mahama Yahaya Amantana and a junior officer over an alleged illegal Service Passport scheme.
- Ten Service Passports were cancelled due to the alleged scheme, and the individuals involved will be pursued.
- The Ministry has distinguished between Service Passports and Diplomatic Passports, emphasizing that the alleged scheme involves the former.
