General News
“Visa Fraud Scandal Hits Ghana Embassy in US – Staff Implicated, One Dismissed”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recalled all staff of Ghana’s mission in Washington DC, with immediate effect, over alleged fraudulent activities uncovered in that embassy.
Some officers of Ghana’s Embassy in the United States of America (USA) were found to have allegedly created a parallel bank account to the state accounts in which they collect visa and other service fees due the embassy.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic on Sunday, said a new team of staff of the ministry would be dispatched to take over operations at the embassy.
The minister added that an officer, who was directly found culpable in many of the allegations, had been dismissed.
He explained that the dismissed employee, who was the Head of Information Technology (IT), set up a private company to which he channelled all the embassy’s businesses.
Consequently, Mr Ablakwa said the IT Department, which the dismissed officer headed, had been dissolved.
Forensic audit
The minister told the Daily Graphic that the ministry had requested the Auditor-General’s Department to conduct a forensic audit of the activities of the embassy and determine the extent of losses incurred through the nefarious activities of the staff and their level of involvement.
The ministry uncovered the corrupt activities after the minister set up a committee to audit the entire operations of the country’s mission in Washington DC.
He said the ministry would forward the report of the committee to the Office of the Attorney-General for further action.
New staff
Mr Ablakwa said following reports from the public about suspected fraudulent dealings at the embassy, a delegation from the ministry in Accra engaged the head of mission and other stakeholders in the United States capital, Washington DC.
He said the delegation was assigned to conduct an audit aimed at gaining a clearer understanding of the mission’s current procedures, evaluating alignment with the ministry’s directives, and addressing issues related to compliance, procurement practices, IT infrastructure, and legal and financial considerations.
Mr Ablakwa said the mission reported that it was currently using an electronic platform (eCIMS) to facilitate the processing of online visa applications.
However, after integrating the new platform, there were frequent incidents of applicants being charged twice or multiple times, which resulted in a high volume of refund requests.
“The recurring issues created administrative inefficiencies, placed pressure on consular staff and raised concerns regarding the user experience and the mission’s operational image,” the minister explained.
To address the challenges and stabilise the payment process, the mission transitioned to a platform known as Authorize.net for online transactions and adopted another platform, Clover, for walk-in (in-person) payments.
To recover the costs associated with digital payment processing platforms, the mission introduced a fixed $7 merchant fee for all online applicants.
However, based on the Auditor-General’s recommendation that the fee was too high, a revised fee of $5 was fixed from February this year.
Highlighting the performance at the embassy during COVID-19, he said the mission adopted a fully online mailing system for visa and passport dispatch, managed through a third-party provider, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC).
Mr Ablakwa said under that arrangement, applicants were offered delivery options, adding that while it was not compulsory, about 99 per cent of applicants utilised the courier service.
However, it was observed that applicants were not given the alternative of submitting their prepaid return mail envelopes, effectively diverting the service offered by the embassy to a private business.
The procurement of GTC also came into question.
Crime and Investigation
OSP Charges Paul Adom-Otchere Over GACL Contract; Fails to Meet Bail Conditions
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has formally charged Paul Adom-Otchere, former Board Chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), alongside two other individuals, in connection with a contentious revenue assurance contract.
Despite being granted bail, Mr. Adom-Otchere remains in custody after failing to meet the bail requirement of providing two landed properties registered in his name. He reportedly informed investigators that he does not own any such properties in Ghana, making compliance with the condition unattainable.
Also charged are Otchere Kwame Baffour Awuah, Group Executive for Commercial Services at GACL, and Albert Adjetey Adjei-Laryea, Chief Executive Officer of Devnest Systems.
The charges stem from an ongoing investigation into a revenue assurance contract awarded to a private firm allegedly linked to the owner of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML). The OSP is examining suspected procurement violations, including the alleged sole-sourcing of a company that did not receive board approval from GACL.
Mr. Adom-Otchere was summoned for questioning on Thursday, July 31, following a formal notice issued on July 25, 2025.
In an interview with Citi Newsroom prior to his appearance before the OSP, Adom-Otchere described the investigation as politically driven. “I describe this as a witch-hunt,” he stated, asserting that he played no part in executing the contract. “The contract in question was signed by the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company, and I was not even aware it had been executed.”
He further questioned why the investigation is focused on him instead of the GACL management officials who handled the contract process.
The OSP is expected to release additional information on the case and outline the next steps in the legal process in the coming days.
Nicholas Lenin Anane Agyei, legal representative for Paul Adom-Otchere, has condemned the bail terms set by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), describing them as harsh and discriminatory.
This follows the OSP’s directive that Mr. Adom-Otchere, former Board Chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), must present two landed properties registered in his name before securing bail. Despite being officially granted bail, he remains in custody due to his inability to meet this condition.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Thursday, July 31, Mr. Agyei expressed concern that the OSP’s demands appear intended to deliberately prolong Mr. Adom-Otchere’s detention.
He argued that the requirement was not only excessive but also unfair to individuals without significant assets.
“Asking for two landed properties in the name of the accused is an unreasonable demand, especially when it’s known he doesn’t own any. It’s as though the system is designed to deny bail to those without wealth,” he said.
Mr. Agyei further revealed that during preliminary procedures, Mr. Adom-Otchere had clearly indicated that he does not possess any landed properties. Despite this disclosure, the OSP still made such a condition central to his bail.
“It’s concerning that the OSP would insist on such conditions even after learning about his lack of property ownership. This, in our view, amounts to a veiled attempt to keep him behind bars,” he added.
He assured the public that the legal team is actively pursuing all lawful channels to challenge the conditions and secure the release of his client.
Crime and Investigation
OSP Invites Former GACL Board Chair Paul Adom-Otchere Over Suspected Corruption in Audit Deal
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has summoned Paul Adom-Otchere, the former Board Chairman of Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), for questioning as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption and financial irregularities.
The probe focuses on a revenue assurance audit contract between GACL and a private firm, with suspicions surrounding the financial management and accounting of airport revenues under the agreement.
In an official letter dated July 25, 2025, the OSP identified Mr. Adom-Otchere as a suspect in the matter, citing potential corruption and corruption-related offenses. He has been asked to appear at the OSP’s South Ridge office on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Confirming receipt of the summons in an interview with Myjoyonline.com, Mr. Adom-Otchere, who recently completed his term as board chair, disclosed that his legal team has requested a new date—Monday, August 4—due to court engagements in Kumasi.
While pledging his full cooperation, he expressed surprise at being singled out, arguing that the decision-making around the contract was primarily handled by GACL management and its managing director, both of whom remain in office and available to assist with the inquiry.
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