Big scandal rocks Foreign Affairs Ministry

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has been hit with another fraud with the quantum of money involved running into thousands of United States dollars.

The country’s Mission in Luanda, Angola, is reported to have been misappropriating funds the unit has generated internally, with the Accounting Officer, Mr. King Pratt Ainooson and the Consular, Hon. Madam Mandy said to be at the center of the controversy.

A 2014 Report of the Auditor-General has revealed that a total of €64,655.00 (GHc281,249.25), US$96,094.00 (GHc367,079.08) and CFA4,435,000.00 being consular fees collected between April and November 2014 could not be accounted for.

The Report further revealed that Mr. Ainooson fraudulently falsified the signature of the Head of Chancery (HOC) to withdraw €64,655.00.

He is also reported to have misappropriated a total of US$56,709 whereas a loan of US$30,825.00 standing in his name was not approved by management.

The Consular, Hon. Madam Mandy, according to the report, could not also account for consular fees totaling CFA4, 435,000.00.

The report, however, did not give any detail as to how the two personalities utilized the money.

Management of the Mission, Kasapafmonline.com is told, has referred the anomaly to the Ministry for recovery of the amount and appropriate sanctions meted out against the Accounting Officer.