Minority alleges 300 Ghanaians travelled abroad with fraudulently acquired special passports

The Minority in Parliament has alleged that about 300 Ghanaians travelled to Europe and other destinations using Diplomatic and Service Passports they allegedly acquired through an organised scheme involving intermediaries and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the Minority, the alleged arrangement allowed paying applicants to obtain special passports by being assigned official positions and designations they did not hold, in what it describes as a passport-for-sale operation.

At a press conference on Sunday, November 8, the Minority named Ibrahim Wallee, allegedly operating as the manager of the arrangement in Ghana, and Bright Yeboah Owusu, an agent based in Europe, as individuals who allegedly connected applicants to the scheme.

It claimed that applicants paid money to secure the passports, with some allegedly being given official titles in public institutions to support their applications.

The Minority cited examples of letters purportedly issued through the Foreign Affairs Ministry, including two letters in which an individual identified as Amoh Boadi was assigned different positions at the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council and the Akrofuom District Assembly within three days.

Other alleged designations were said to have involved the GTVET Service, Fisheries Commission and the National Disaster Management Organisation.

The Minority further alleged that some officials within the Ministry helped beneficiaries navigate airport procedures, making it easier for them to travel without attracting the usual immigration scrutiny.

It said its sources estimated that approximately 300 Ghanaians had travelled abroad using the special passports allegedly obtained through the arrangement.

To support its claims, the Minority presented copies of letters, redacted passport biodata pages, GCB deposit receipts and mobile money transaction records which it said showed payments made in connection with the acquisition of the documents.

The Minority argued that the alleged scheme was particularly concerning because Service and Diplomatic Passports offer holders access to several countries without the usual visa requirements.

It said Service Passports provide visa-free access to 59 countries, while Diplomatic Passports provide access to 62, with only three countries distinguishing between the two categories.

The allegations come amid an ongoing controversy over the issuance of special passports, following a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming investigations into the alleged irregular issuance of Service Passports.

The Ministry disclosed that 10 Service Passports had been cancelled and two officers, including the Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, and a junior Foreign Service Officer, Alhassan Sumani, had been interdicted and referred to the police.

However, the Ministry’s statement focused on Service Passports and said it had found no evidence of the sale of Diplomatic Passports.

The Minority maintains that the allegations point to a wider operation that requires an independent investigation, and has announced plans to move a motion in Parliament on Monday, November 9, for the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee.

It says the committee should establish how the passports were obtained, identify those involved and determine whether public officials abused their positions to facilitate the alleged transactions.

The claims have not yet been independently established, and the individuals named in the allegations have not been found guilty of any wrongdoing.