Minority Alleges Diplomatic and Service Passports Sold to 300 Ghanaians

The Minority in Parliament has alleged that officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office helped sell Diplomatic and Service Passports to people who were not entitled to them. It claims about 300 Ghanaians have used the documents to travel to Europe and elsewhere.

Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, made the claims at a press briefing on Sunday, November 8, as first reported by Citi News.

Mr Jinapor said the officials ran a travel and tour business through which customers paid to secure the passports. He named Ibrahim Wallee as the alleged manager of the operation in Ghana and Bright Yeboah Owusu as his alleged agent in Europe.

How the Scheme Allegedly Worked

According to the Ranking Member, applicants were given government roles and official titles they did not hold so that they would appear to qualify for the special passports. In some instances, he claimed, the positions listed for applicants did not exist at all.

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He said the documents were promoted as a way to enter some countries without a visa, especially to people who might find it hard to obtain the required travel permission.

Mr Jinapor also alleged that Foreign Affairs Ministry staff helped travellers at the airport so they could avoid or reduce checks by Ghana Immigration Service officers.

"As at now, our sources indicate that some 300 Ghanaians have travelled to Europe and other destinations using diplomatic and service passports allegedly issued through this arrangement," he said.

Ministry Cancels Passports, Interdicts Officials

Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had cancelled 10 Service Passports it says were allegedly issued unlawfully to people who did not qualify for them.

In a statement also released on Sunday, November 8, the ministry said the decision followed preliminary investigations into what it called a criminal passport-for-sale scheme that has been running since 2023. It said the passports in question were issued after money was allegedly paid to a syndicate operating inside the passport administration system.

The ministry said the Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, has been interdicted in connection with the investigations.

A junior Foreign Service Officer, Alhassan Sumani, has also been interdicted. The ministry said he is named in petitions as the alleged chief architect of the scheme.

According to the ministry, the officers have been referred to the Ghana Police Service for further investigation and possible prosecution.

None of the individuals named has been charged or convicted in connection with the allegations.