Passport Scandal: Two Officials Interdicted as Alleged Sale of Special Passports Triggers Political Storm

Passport Scandal: Two Officials Interdicted as Alleged Sale of Special Passports Triggers Political Storm

Ghana’s passport administration system is facing mounting scrutiny following allegations that some officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office colluded with intermediaries to secure Service and Diplomatic Passports for unqualified individuals in exchange for money.

The controversy has exposed possible weaknesses in the management of the country’s special travel documents, prompting investigations, parliamentary disagreements and demands for an independent probe into the alleged abuse of official positions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that 10 Service Passports were irregularly issued between January 2023 and August 2026 and have since been cancelled. Two officials have also been interdicted and referred to the Ghana Police Service for further investigations.

However, the Minority in Parliament believes the cases identified by the Ministry represent only a fraction of a potentially wider operation, alleging that about 300 Ghanaians may have travelled abroad using special passports obtained through the arrangement.

How the alleged scheme was uncovered

The Ministry’s investigation followed two petitions drawing attention to suspected irregularities in the issuance of Service Passports.

In a statement released on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the Ministry disclosed that it received the first petition on October 8, with a subsequent complaint providing further information about an alleged network operating within the passport administration system.

The complaints reportedly included claims of financial transactions involving individuals seeking to obtain Service Passports despite not meeting the required conditions.

One petitioner alleged paying US$29,000 under an arrangement dating back to 2023, while another claimed to have paid US$5,000 to members of the suspected network in 2026.

Following the initial complaint, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa ordered the establishment of an investigative committee on October 13 to examine the allegations.

The committee’s preliminary findings identified 10 individuals who allegedly obtained Service Passports through irregular means during the period under investigation.

Consequently, the Ministry cancelled the 10 documents and interdicted two officers suspected of involvement.

Officials facing investigation

The two officials currently facing interdiction are Acting Director of Passports Mahama Yahaya Amantana and junior Foreign Service Officer Alhassan Sumani.

According to the Ministry, Sumani was identified in the petitions as the alleged principal organiser of the operation.

The Ministry further claimed that he previously worked as an intermediary, commonly referred to as a ‘goro boy’, within the passport administration system in 2023 before joining the Foreign Service on November 29, 2024.

Both officers have been referred to the police for investigations and possible prosecution.

The Ministry has also indicated that retired Ambassador Mohammed Habib Idris, who was Director of Passports in 2023 when some of the alleged irregularities occurred, will be investigated by the security agencies and sanctioned if found responsible.

It says accountability must apply to everyone whose actions may have contributed to the alleged misconduct, irrespective of when the incidents occurred.

Meanwhile, presidential aide Dr Samuel Ayeh has disclosed that a suspect identified as Wale allegedly admitted forging the signature of a former Chief Director to facilitate the issuance of Service Passports.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse, Dr Ayeh said the suspect made the admission before the investigative committee, explaining that signatures on official correspondence had been deliberately imitated to make the documents appear genuine.

He further alleged that the suspect practised the forgery several times and that Sumani was responsible for obtaining the official letterheads used in the exercise.

Dr Ayeh also claimed that the committee possessed an audio recording of the alleged confession, adding that its report was expected to be made public the following week.

These allegations are yet to be fully established through the relevant investigative and judicial processes.

How the alleged passport-for-sale arrangement worked

The Minority has presented allegations suggesting that the operation could have extended beyond the 10 cases identified by the Ministry.

At a press conference on Sunday, November 8, Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee, accused some officials within the Ministry and Passport Office of running a travel and tour arrangement through which applicants were allegedly assisted to obtain Service and Diplomatic Passports.

He claimed the process involved giving applicants false professional titles and official positions to create the impression that they qualified for the documents.

According to the Minority, some beneficiaries were presented as employees of public institutions despite having no legitimate employment or official responsibilities in those organisations.

Mr Jinapor cited letters purportedly issued on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Minister to support passport applications for individuals presented as public officials.

One case involved an individual named Amoh Boadi, who was reportedly described in a letter dated June 1, 2026, as Deputy Director of Audit Services at the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council.

However, a second letter dated June 4, 2026, allegedly identified the same individual as Deputy District Coordinating Director of the Akrofuom District Assembly.

The Minority questioned the authenticity of the designations, arguing that the individual appeared to have been assigned two different positions in separate public institutions within three days.

Other questionable designations reportedly involved the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Fisheries Commission and GTVET Service.

The caucus also alleged that some beneficiaries received assistance from officials to pass through airport procedures without attracting significant scrutiny from Ghana Immigration Service officers.

Alleged intermediaries and financial transactions

The Minority has identified Ibrahim Wallee and Bright Yeboah Owusu as two individuals allegedly involved in connecting applicants to the passport arrangement.

It described Wallee as the suspected manager of the operation in Ghana, while Owusu was allegedly responsible for acting as an agent in Europe.

According to the allegations, Wallee linked prospective applicants to the network, while Owusu received payments on behalf of officials and handled transactions involving customers outside Ghana.

To support its claims, the Minority presented documents, including bank deposit slips, mobile money transaction records, letters purportedly approving passport applications and redacted passport biodata pages.

Among the documents were two GCB Bank deposit receipts dated June 15 and June 24, 2026, alongside mobile money records.

The caucus said the individuals who supplied the documents claimed the payments were made to secure special passports and associated travel arrangements.

It intends to submit the materials to Parliament as part of its demand for a formal investigation.

However, the alleged roles of the named individuals and the authenticity and significance of the documents have not yet been independently established.

Could about 300 Ghanaians have benefited?

While the Ministry has confirmed 10 irregularly issued Service Passports, the Minority maintains that the alleged operation may have involved hundreds of beneficiaries.

Mr Jinapor claimed information available to the caucus suggested that approximately 300 Ghanaians had travelled to Europe and other destinations using Service and Diplomatic Passports allegedly secured through the arrangement.

The Minority believes some of these individuals did not qualify for the documents but obtained them after making payments through intermediaries.

It further alleges that beneficiaries received assistance in navigating airport procedures.

However, the figure of 300 remains an allegation by the Minority and has not been established by the Ministry’s preliminary investigation.

The Ministry has disclosed that two of the 10 individuals whose passports were cancelled allegedly used the documents to travel in 2023.

It says steps are being taken to trace all beneficiaries and ensure the cancelled passports are no longer used.

Why the special passports matter

The allegations have attracted considerable attention because Service and Diplomatic Passports offer travel privileges that are not available to ordinary passport holders.

The documents are intended for individuals who qualify through their official positions and responsibilities.

Figures presented by the Minority indicate that Service Passports offer visa-free access to 59 countries, while Diplomatic Passports provide access to 62 countries, with only three countries distinguishing between the two categories.

The caucus argues that issuing these documents to people who do not qualify could compromise the credibility of Ghanaian travel documents and allow individuals to enjoy privileges reserved for legitimate public officials.

It has also warned that the alleged abuse could affect Ghana’s diplomatic standing and confidence among international partners.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry says it has informed Ghana’s international partners about the cancellation of the 10 passports identified in its investigation.

However, the Ministry has drawn a distinction between the two categories of travel documents, insisting that its current investigation concerns Service Passports and not Diplomatic Passports.

It stated in its November 8 release that it had not uncovered evidence to establish that Diplomatic Passports were being sold.

The Minority, on the other hand, maintains that the alleged arrangement involved both categories and wants the investigation extended to cover all relevant applications and approvals.

The Ministry also provided figures on passport issuance across three periods.

Between 2009 and 2016, Ghana issued 1,397 Service Passports and 2,899 Diplomatic Passports.

From 2017 to 2024, the figures increased to 3,174 Service Passports and 5,682 Diplomatic Passports.

Since 2025, another 754 Service Passports and 1,944 Diplomatic Passports have been issued.

The figures show the volume of special passports issued over the periods but do not independently establish that the documents were irregularly obtained.

Passport scandal turns into political confrontation

The controversy has developed into a political disagreement between the Majority and Minority caucuses in Parliament, with both sides trading accusations over responsibility and the handling of the allegations.

The Minority has questioned the administration of the passport system under Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and called for an independent parliamentary investigation.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has also raised concerns about six individuals whose Service Passport applications were allegedly approved using false or non-existent official designations linked to NADMO and the Fisheries Commission.

In a petition dated October 30, 2026, the party asked the United States Embassy in Ghana to review the treatment of the affected passport holders and strengthen scrutiny of the documents.

The party has additionally accused Mr Ablakwa of having prior knowledge of the alleged activities.

Its National Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, questioned the Minister’s position that he was unaware of the alleged irregularities while maintaining that Diplomatic Passports had not been implicated.

He also raised concerns about the appointment of the Acting Director of Passports, questioning the official’s qualifications.

The Majority has defended the Minister, arguing that he should not automatically be held responsible for alleged misconduct within an institution simply because it falls under his supervision.

Majority Leader James Agalga said the Minister had taken appropriate steps by ordering investigations and interdicting officers suspected of involvement.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee, Cletus Dapilah, has blamed the previous Akufo-Addo administration for aspects of the alleged irregularities.

Mr Dapilah argued that Sumani’s recruitment into the Foreign Affairs Ministry on November 29, 2024, towards the end of the previous administration, followed his alleged activities as a middleman in the passport system.

He claimed the recruitment created an opportunity for Sumani to continue his alleged involvement in the arrangement.

The competing political positions have intensified demands for clarity over when the alleged scheme began and who should be held accountable.

How the matter escalated in Parliament

The controversy had already caused tension in Parliament before the Ministry announced its preliminary findings.

On November 3, 2026, Speaker Alban Bagbin directed Samuel Abu Jinapor to leave the Chamber following a heated disagreement over his allegation that Diplomatic Passports were being sold for amounts ranging from US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Majority Leader James Agalga challenged the Damongo MP to provide evidence supporting the allegation or withdraw it.

The Speaker subsequently instructed Mr Jinapor to substantiate his claims or retract them.

Following an intense exchange, Mr Jinapor withdrew the allegation but was ordered out of the Chamber after failing to comply promptly with the Speaker’s directive.

The Minority caucus protested the decision and staged a walkout in solidarity with him.

The incident further exposed the political divisions surrounding the passport controversy and the demand for accountability.

What the Minority wants investigated

The Minority is pushing for Parliament to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to conduct an independent inquiry into the alleged irregularities.

It wants the proposed committee to examine all approvals and issuances of Service and Diplomatic Passports from January 7, 2025, up to the date Parliament adopts the motion.

The caucus is also demanding access to passport applications, recommendation letters, approval documents, payment records, official correspondence and electronic communications connected to the suspected transactions.

It wants the Foreign Affairs Minister, the Ministry’s Chief Director, the interdicted Director of Passports, alleged intermediaries, relevant passport and immigration officers, as well as beneficiaries of the documents, to appear before the committee.

The proposed investigation is expected to establish how the alleged arrangement operated, the number of people involved, whether public officials received financial benefits and whether state institutions were used to facilitate the transactions.

The Minority argues that the Ministry’s internal investigative committee should not prevent Parliament from exercising its constitutional oversight responsibilities.

The Majority, however, believes the committee established by the Ministry has the mandate and capacity to investigate the matter and should be allowed to complete its work.

What happens next?

The Ministry’s investigation and police inquiries are expected to determine the extent of the alleged irregularities and whether the individuals implicated should face prosecution.

The investigative committee is also expected to publish its findings, according to Dr Samuel Ayeh.

Among the outstanding issues are the alleged forgery of official signatures, the involvement of intermediaries, the approval process for the 10 cancelled passports and whether additional beneficiaries obtained special travel documents through similar arrangements.

The investigation is also expected to clarify whether the alleged activities extended across different administrations and whether other officials played roles in the process.

With the Minority insisting on a parliamentary inquiry and the Majority backing the Ministry’s investigative process, the next steps could shape how the controversy is resolved.

At stake is not only the accountability of officials implicated in the allegations but also public confidence in Ghana’s passport administration system and the protection of privileges attached to the country’s official travel documents.