Minority alleges 300 Ghanaians travelled abroad on passports obtained through illegal scheme

The Minority in Parliament has alleged that over 300 Ghanaians travelled to Europe and other destinations using diplomatic and service passports obtained through an arrangement involving false official designations.

The Minority claims that some officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office facilitated the issuance of the passports to individuals who did not qualify to hold them under the law.

It alleges that the applicants were assigned positions in public institutions, some of which did not exist, to make them eligible for the special travel documents.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, November 8, Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Samuel Abu Jinapor said the arrangement involved Ibrahim Wallee, who allegedly managed a travel and tour business in Ghana, and Bright Yeboah Owusu, identified as his agent in Europe.

The Minority further alleged that officials of the Ministry assisted some of the applicants through the airport to avoid or reduce scrutiny by officers of the Ghana Immigration Service.

“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.

To support its allegations, the Minority presented five approval letters signed by the Ministry's Chief Director, Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu, on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The letters, dated between June and August 2026, reportedly approved the issuance of diplomatic and service passports to persons presented as officials of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, Akrofuom District Assembly, Ghana TVET Service, Fisheries Commission and the National Disaster Management Organisation.

One of the examples cited was a person identified as Amoh Boadi, whose name appeared in a June 1, 2026 letter as Deputy Director of Audit Services at the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council.

However, a second letter dated June 4, 2026, reportedly listed a person with the same name as Deputy District Coordinating Director of the Akrofuom District Assembly.

The Minority questioned how the same name could appear under two different positions at separate public institutions within three days and what verification was conducted before the approvals were granted.

It also presented GCB Bank cash deposit receipts and Mobile Money transaction records which it claimed showed payments made to Mr Owusu on June 15 and June 24, 2026, and other dates.

The Minority is therefore seeking the establishment of a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee to investigate all approvals and issuances of diplomatic and service passports from January 7, 2025, to the date the motion is adopted.