Minority to file motion for parliamentary probe into alleged sale of diplomatic, service passports

The Minority in Parliament will, on Monday, November 9, file a motion seeking the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate allegations of irregular issuance and sale of Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports.

The Minority says it has uncovered documents suggesting that some individuals who did not qualify for the special travel documents were allegedly presented as public officials of various state institutions to facilitate their acquisition.

Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Sunday, November 8, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, said the allegations raised serious concerns about the integrity of Ghana’s official travel documents and required an independent investigation.

“Our purpose is to secure an independent parliamentary inquiry in which the available material can be examined, witnesses heard, and all persons concerned afforded a fair opportunity to respond,” he stated.

The proposed committee is expected to examine passport approvals and issuances from January 7, 2025, to the date the motion is adopted, establish the extent of the alleged irregularities and identify persons responsible.

The Minority is also seeking access to passport applications, approval letters, payment records and relevant communications.

The Minority’s press conference, which was advertised earlier, came a few hours after the Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement to clarify the allegations.

In that statement, the Ministry said it had revoked 10 Service Passports allegedly obtained through an illegal arrangement involving a syndicate operating within the passport administration system.

The affected documents were issued between January 2023 and August 2026 to individuals who, according to preliminary investigations, did not meet the requirements for obtaining Service Passports.

It added that the beneficiaries were being pursued, including two individuals who allegedly travelled abroad using the illegally acquired documents in 2023.

Read Also: 10 illegally issued Service Passports cancelled as Foreign Affairs Ministry pursues beneficiaries

The Ministry’s investigations followed two petitions received on October 8, 2026, prompting the establishment of an investigative committee on October 13, on the instructions of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The Ministry’s statement also announced that the Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, and a junior Foreign Service Officer, Alhassan Sumani, have been interdicted and referred to the Ghana Police Service for further investigations and possible prosecution.