The Minority in Ghana's Parliament has filed a motion to establish a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee to investigate allegations of the sale and irregular issuance of diplomatic and service passports. The move follows a press conference by the Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, who presented a dossier of documents claiming to expose a syndicate operating within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office. The allegations involve unqualified persons being issued special passports after making illegal payments.
According to Mr Jinapor, the alleged scheme involved officials of the Ministry and Passport Office operating a travel and tour business that assisted paying customers to travel abroad, particularly to Europe, on diplomatic or service passports. The customers were ascribed false official positions and designations they did not hold to qualify them for the documents. Several letters allegedly signed on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, approving passports for persons described as officials of various public institutions were presented as evidence.
The Minority party presented several examples of irregularities, including a letter dated June 1, 2026, listing a Mr Amoh Boadi as Deputy Director, Audit Services, at the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council. Three days later, another letter listed the same name as Deputy District Coordinating Director of the Akrofuom District Assembly. Mr Jinapor questioned how the same name came to be presented under two different official positions at two different institutions for the purpose of obtaining these passports.
Receipts of cash deposits and mobile money transfers to an agent identified as Bright Yeboah Owusu, who allegedly received payments on behalf of the officials, were also presented. The Minority party alleged that personnel of the Ministry assisted these individuals through the airport to avoid scrutiny by Ghana Immigration Service officers, and that some 300 Ghanaians had travelled to Europe using passports issued through the arrangement.
The motion seeks a targeted review of all approvals and issuances of diplomatic and service passports from January 7, 2025, to the date of its adoption. The Minority party emphasized that the existence of an internal committee set up by the Ministry does not preclude parliamentary oversight. Mr Jinapor stated that the committee must have access to passport applications, institutional recommendations, approval letters, issuance records and electronic records to establish who processed and approved the applications.
The Minority party appealed to the Majority to support the motion, stating that supporting an inquiry does not require accepting the allegations as proven, but rather agreeing that matters of such gravity deserve a thorough examination. Mr Jinapor emphasized that the authority of the Republic must never become a private means of making money, and that the party will not allow these serious questions to go unanswered.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier announced the interdiction of its Acting Director of Passports and a junior officer over the matter. The Minority party's move is aimed at ensuring an independent and impartial investigation into the allegations, as they believe that the very people who superintended the alleged rot cannot be the same persons to investigate it.
Key points
- The Minority party in Ghana's Parliament has filed a motion seeking an investigation into the alleged sale and irregular issuance of diplomatic and service passports.
- The allegations involve a syndicate operating within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office, with some 300 Ghanaians allegedly travelling to Europe using passports issued through the arrangement.
- The Minority party is seeking a targeted review of all approvals and issuances of diplomatic and service passports from January 7, 2025.
