Professor Ransford Gyampo, CEO of the Ghana Shippers Authority, has raised concerns about alleged corruption and politically motivated information leaks within the public service. He accuses certain individuals who remained in public institutions after the change of government of exploiting their positions to sustain corrupt activities and release confidential information for political advantage. Gyampo expressed confidence that the government would use the situation to reform the public service.
Gyampo's criticism comes against the backdrop of mounting pressure from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to relinquish his position. The opposition party has raised questions about the government's evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, alongside allegations involving the unlawful acquisition of Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports. The NPP has demanded explanations and accountability from the Foreign Affairs Minister over the controversies.
The Foreign Ministry has cancelled 10 service passports issued irregularly and interdicted two officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Preliminary findings uncovered an alleged syndicate through which individuals who did not meet the eligibility requirements obtained service passports after making unauthorized payments. The affected documents were issued between January 2023 and August 2026.
The Ministry identified one of the interdicted officials, Alhassan Sumani, as a central figure in the suspected operation. His name appeared in all petitions submitted in connection with the matter. Before his appointment to the Foreign Service, Sumani allegedly operated as an intermediary within the passport acquisition system. The investigation was initiated after the Ministry received petitions alleging that money had been collected from individuals seeking to obtain service passports through unauthorized channels.
The Ministry has indicated that the inquiry will extend beyond serving officials to include individuals who previously held positions connected to the issuance of the affected passports. Former Director of Passports Ambassador Mohammed Habib Idris, who supervised the passport office during part of the period under investigation, will also be subjected to scrutiny by the security agencies.
The Foreign Ministry has made public the identities of the 10 individuals whose service passports were revoked following the preliminary findings. They are Richard Sakyi Apenteng, Augustina Agyei Boateng, Juliet Amankwa, Rebecca Agyeiwaa, Prince Ahensah, Maybel Ahensah, Twumasi Francis Kwame, Gyabaah Anthony, Frederick Ennin, and Bosompem Richard. Investigators established that two of the beneficiaries had successfully travelled outside Ghana in 2023 using passports allegedly obtained through the irregular arrangement.
Gyampo also questioned the effectiveness of the opposition's strategy of holding government officials accountable through press conferences to demand resignations. He argued that it offered little political value and fell short of the standards previously demonstrated by leading communicators of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The government has assured that it will seize the opportunity to reset the system and reform the public service.
Key points
- Professor Ransford Gyampo accuses 'planted' public service officials of leaking information to the NPP for political gain.
- The Foreign Ministry has cancelled 10 service passports issued irregularly and interdicted two officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- The government has assured that it will reform the public service and reset the system.
