Ghana's Foreign Affairs Ministry Cancels 10 Illegally Issued Service Passports

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ghana has cancelled 10 Service Passports that were issued illegally as part of an alleged passport-for-sale scheme. This move follows preliminary findings from an investigation that started after two petitions were received, alleging irregularities in the issuance of Service Passports. The first petition, filed on October 8, 2026, claimed that the petitioner paid $29,000 in 2023. A second petitioner in 2026 reported paying $5,000 to members of the alleged criminal syndicate.

On October 13, 2026, a committee was established by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to look into the matter. The committee's preliminary investigations identified 10 Service Passports that were allegedly issued to individuals who did not qualify for them after making illegal payments. The passports were issued between January 3, 2023, and August 11, 2026. The Ministry has disclosed that the Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, and a junior Foreign Service Officer, Alhassan Sumani, have been interdicted and referred to the Ghana Police Service for further investigations.

Alhassan Sumani, who has been named in all the petitions as the alleged chief architect of the scheme, reportedly operated as a “goro boy” in 2023 before joining the Foreign Service on November 29, 2024. The Ministry confirmed that all 10 passports have been cancelled and can no longer be used. International partners have also been notified, while the owners are being pursued. Two of the individuals reportedly used the illegally acquired passports to travel in 2023.

The affected passports belong to 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 Ministry described the scheme as a sophisticated operation that predated the current administration and maintained that no evidence has so far emerged that Ghanaian Diplomatic Passports are being sold.

The investigation concerns Service Passports, not Diplomatic Passports. Ambassador Mohammed Habib Idris, who served as Director of Passports during the 2023 period under investigation and has since retired, will also be investigated by the security services and sanctioned if found culpable. The Ministry is taking steps to prevent such schemes in the future.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has introduced several reforms to improve the passport application process. These include the introduction of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)-compliant chip-embedded passports, the establishment of Passport Application Centres in all 16 regions, the introduction of 24-hour operations, free courier delivery, an electronic tracking system, and technology-driven security protocols.

The Ministry's efforts aim to enhance the efficiency and security of passport issuance. The cancellation of the 10 Service Passports and the ongoing investigations demonstrate the government's commitment to tackling corruption and ensuring that passports are issued transparently and fairly. The public will be updated on any further developments in the investigation.

Key points

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cancelled 10 Service Passports issued illegally as part of an alleged passport-for-sale scheme.
• The investigation concerns Service Passports, not Diplomatic Passports.
• The Ministry has introduced several reforms to improve the passport application process.