Passport scandal: Two officials interdicted, 10 service passports cancelled

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has uncovered an alleged passport-selling syndicate accused of illegally issuing Ghanaian Service Passports to unqualified individuals in exchange for payments of up to US$29,000, leading to the interdiction of two officials and the cancellation of 10 passports.

The Ministry said preliminary investigations had established that the scheme had been operating since 2023, with some individuals allegedly paying thousands of dollars to obtain Service Passports they were not entitled to hold.

In a statement issued on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the Ministry disclosed that it had received two petitions detailing the alleged activities of the syndicate. One petitioner claimed to have paid US$29,000 in 2023, while another alleged that US$5,000 was paid to members of the network in 2026.

Following the first petition, received on October 8, 2026, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa reportedly directed the establishment of an investigative committee on October 13 to examine the allegations.

The investigations have since resulted in the interdiction of the Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, and a junior Foreign Service Officer, Alhassan Sumani, who is alleged to have played a central role in the scheme.

According to the Ministry, Sumani, a Foreign Service Officer at grade A5, was named in all the petitions as the alleged mastermind. The statement further claimed that he operated as a middleman, popularly known in Ghana as a 'goro boy', in 2023 before being recruited into the Foreign Service on November 29, 2024.

Both officers have been referred to the Ghana Police Service for further investigations and possible prosecution.

10 Service Passports cancelled

The Ministry said its preliminary findings had confirmed that 10 individuals who allegedly did not qualify for Service Passports obtained the travel documents through the suspected arrangement between 2023 and 2026.

The affected individuals are Richard Sakyi Apenteng and Augustina Agyei Boateng, whose passports were issued on January 3, 2023; Juliet Amankwa, issued on January 31, 2023; and Rebecca Agyeiwaa, issued on February 2, 2023.

The other six are Prince Ahensah and Maybel Ahensah, whose passports were issued on May 28, 2026; Twumasi Francis Kwame, Gyabaah Anthony, Frederick Ennin and Bosompem Richard, whose passports were issued on August 11, 2026.

The Ministry said all 10 passports had been cancelled and could no longer be used for international travel.

It added that Ghana's international partners had been notified of the cancellations, while efforts were underway to track down the beneficiaries of the alleged illegal arrangement.

According to the statement, two of the individuals had successfully used the passports to travel in 2023 before the scheme was uncovered.

The Ministry maintained that the beneficiaries would be pursued as part of efforts to dismantle the network and establish the full extent of the alleged wrongdoing.

Former Passport Director to face investigations

In what it described as a commitment to fairness and impartiality, the Ministry said the Director of Passports during the period the alleged scheme began, retired Ambassador Mohammed Habib Idris, would also be investigated by the security services.

It said appropriate sanctions would follow if he were found culpable.

The Ministry argued that the alleged passport-selling operation predated the current administration but insisted that its detection and the subsequent investigations demonstrated its commitment to fighting corruption within the passport administration system.

It also sought to distinguish the ongoing investigation from allegations involving Ghana's Diplomatic Passports.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the matters under investigations are about Service Passports and not Diplomatic Passports," the statement said.

The Ministry added that no evidence had so far emerged to suggest that Ghana's Diplomatic Passports were being sold.

Ministry defends passport reforms

The revelations come as the Ministry seeks to defend a series of reforms introduced under President John Dramani Mahama's administration to improve passport administration, strengthen security and make the acquisition of travel documents more affordable.

According to the Ministry, the reforms 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 and an electronic tracking system.

It also said the government had reduced the passport application fee from GH¢500 to GH¢350, arguing that the cost of obtaining a passport should not prevent Ghanaians from accessing the document.

The Ministry further attributed improvements in the international standing of Ghana's passport to recent visa-waiver agreements signed with other countries.

It claimed that a survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service this year found passport administration to be the most transformed and least corrupt public institution in the country.

Passport issuance figures

The Ministry also released figures on the number of Service and Diplomatic Passports issued over three periods.

Between 2009 and 2016, a total of 1,397 Service Passports were issued, compared with 3,174 between 2017 and 2024. From 2025 to November 2026, the number stood at 754.

For Diplomatic Passports, the figures show that 2,899 were issued between 2009 and 2016, while 5,682 were issued from 2017 to 2024. A further 1,944 have been issued since 2025.

The Ministry did not provide a breakdown of the figures by year or explain the factors accounting for the differences across the periods.

It, however, insisted that the latest investigation should not undermine confidence in Ghana's passport administration system, promising to ensure that everyone found responsible for the alleged scheme is brought to justice.

The Ministry said it would maintain transparency and accountability throughout the investigations while continuing reforms to protect the credibility of Ghanaian travel documents.

EA