The Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C. is expected to reopen for full consular and administrative services today, May 29.
In an earlier statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration announced that a team of seasoned diplomats, led by a senior official from the Ministry, has been deployed to take over the running of the Mission.
The move forms part of a broader effort to implement a total systems overhaul and restore integrity to the Embassy’s operations.
“An Information Technology (IT) team has already been deployed to reconfigure the Embassy’s website and payment platforms to eliminate all unofficial and unauthorised links previously associated with the system,” the statement added.
The Embassy was temporarily shut down on Monday, May 26, following a special audit that uncovered a corruption scandal involving a local staff member, Fred Kwarteng, who worked in the IT department.
Kwarteng was found to have created an unauthorised payment portal through which he allegedly charged illegal fees ranging from $29.75 to $60 from passport applicants—fees not sanctioned under Ghana’s Fees and Charges Act.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, had earlier described the closure as necessary for a “comprehensive restructuring and systems overhaul.”
The case has since been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and recovery of misappropriated funds. The Auditor-General has also been directed to conduct a full forensic audit to determine the total financial loss to the state.
Source: Adomonline.com
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