Ghana has taken the extraordinary step of shutting down its embassy in Washington, D.C., following an explosive corruption scandal that has rocked its diplomatic corps. The closure, described by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as “temporary but necessary,” comes in the wake of a forensic audit that revealed large-scale fraud involving illegal visa issuance and passport racketeering by embassy staff.
The probe uncovered that certain embassy officials had colluded with external agents to issue authentic travel documents, including visas and Ghanaian passports, for hefty sums, bypassing official processes and endangering national security.
The fallout has led to immediate dismissals, while several diplomatic staff members have been recalled to Accra for interrogation and further disciplinary action.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated that the mission will remain closed until a complete restructuring is carried out. The government, under President John Mahama, reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward corruption and promised full transparency in ongoing investigations.
This diplomatic scandal echoes past issues of document fraud in Ghana, including the infamous “fake U.S. embassy” operation that ran for nearly a decade until it was shut down in 2016, where similar corrupt networks enabled fraudulent travel documentation through bribery and deception.
The closure of such a key diplomatic post is a significant setback for Ghana’s foreign relations, especially in light of the growing demand for U.S. visas: over 61,000 applications in 2024 alone, of which only 25,000 were approved.
Authorities are urging Ghanaians in the United States to use consulates in New York or Los Angeles for urgent matters until the embassy reopens.
