Ghana's Foreign Ministry Dismisses Claims Diplomatic Passports Are Being Sold, Insists Probe Targets Service Passports Only

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed suggestions that Ghana's Diplomatic Passports are being sold, insisting that investigations into an alleged passport scandal are strictly focused on Service Passports.

In a statement dated November 8, 2026, the Ministry stressed that no evidence had emerged so far to suggest that Diplomatic Passports were being sold, urging the public to distinguish between the two categories of travel documents involved in the investigation.

What Triggered the Probe

The Ministry disclosed that two petitions triggered the investigation. One petitioner claimed to have paid US5,000 in 2026 to secure the documents. Preliminary findings established that some individuals who were not eligible for Service Passports obtained them through alleged illegal payments to a syndicate within the system.

Ten Passports Cancelled

Ten Service Passports identified in the preliminary investigations have been cancelled, while the beneficiaries are being pursued. The Ministry said Ghana's international partners had also been formally informed that the documents were no longer valid, preventing their further use.

Officials Interdicted

The Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, and Foreign Service Officer Alhassan Sumani have been interdicted and referred to the police for further investigations. Sumani is described in the petitions as the alleged mastermind of the operation, having allegedly operated as a middleman — known locally as a "goro boy" — in 2023 before formally joining the Foreign Service on November 29, 2024.

Former Director Under Investigation

Retired Ambassador Mohammed Habib Idris, who served as Director of Passports in 2023 when some of the irregularities occurred, will be investigated by the security services and sanctioned if found culpable, the Ministry said.

Background to the Allegations

The Ministry's clarification comes amid separate allegations raised in Parliament by Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor, who claimed that diplomatic passports were being sold for between US50,000. No investigation has substantiated that claim.

The Ministry also released comparative issuance figures for both categories of passports. For Service Passports: 1,397 were issued between 2009 and 2016; 3,174 between 2017 and 2024; and 754 from 2025 to date. For Diplomatic Passports: 2,899 between 2009 and 2016; 5,682 between 2017 and 2024; and 1,944 since 2025.

Parliamentary Pressure

Majority Leader James Agalga told Parliament on Friday that the Director of Passports had been interdicted to allow investigations to proceed without interference, assuring lawmakers that "whosoever is found culpable of any wrongdoing will not be shelved." Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin had called for Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to brief the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry maintained that the alleged scheme predated the current administration but pledged to ensure that everyone implicated is held accountable, promising transparency, impartiality and fairness throughout the process. It also reiterated its commitment to strengthening passport administration and ensuring security across all categories of Ghanaian travel documents.