The Minority in Parliament has alleged a scheme in which officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office sold diplomatic and service passports to unqualified persons under false official designations.
At a press conference in Accra on Sunday, November 8, 2026, Samuel Abu Jinapor (MP), ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Minority will file a motion in Parliament tomorrow morning to establish a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the allegations.
The Minority said the concerns touch directly on the exercise of governmental authority and the integrity of official documents issued in the name of the Republic.
“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,” the Minority said.
What Are Diplomatic And Service Passports?
The Minority explained that under Section 6 of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155), diplomatic passports are for members of Government on official business, Ghana’s diplomatic and consular officers, certain family members, heads of delegations, and prominent citizens where Government considers it required.
Service passports, under Section 7, are for public officers and other Ghanaians travelling strictly on official State business who do not qualify for a diplomatic passport.
Diplomatic passports allow visa-free entry to 62 countries, while service passports allow 59. The only difference is Hong Kong, Qatar and Turkey.
“These passports are supposed to be issued for official purposes. They are not privileges to be sold to anyone willing to pay,” the Minority said.
The Alleged Scheme
According to the Minority, some officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office allegedly set up a travel and tour business to help paying customers travel abroad, particularly to Europe, on diplomatic or service passports.
The business is allegedly operated on behalf of the officials by one Ibrahim Wallee, who manages it in Ghana, and Bright Yeboah Owusu, his agent resident in Europe.
Because customers did not qualify, the arrangement was for applicants to be ascribed official positions they did not hold. In some cases, the positions did not even exist.
“When it was time to travel, the said personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would assist these individuals through the airport to avoid or reduce scrutiny by officers of the Ghana Immigration Service,” the Minority said.
It claimed several individuals have already travelled to Europe and other destinations using passports allegedly issued through the arrangement.
Documents Shown – SAJ 1 to SAJ 5
The Minority displayed copies of letters issued on the authority of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, granting approval for diplomatic and service passports.
One letter, marked SAJ 1, dated 1st June 2026, signed by Chief Director Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu on behalf of the Minister, approved service passports for persons described as officials of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council. Among them was Mr. Amoh Boadi, described as Deputy Director, Audit Services.
Another letter, SAJ 2, dated 4th June 2026, approved passports for persons described as officials of the Akrofuom District Assembly. The same name, Mr. Amoh Boadi, appeared as Deputy District Coordinating Director.
“These letters were issued just three days apart… Do these entries refer to the same person? If so, how did the same name come to be presented under two different official positions at two different institutions?” the Minority queried.
It also cited SAJ 3 dated 5th June 2026 for supposed officials of the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training Service, SAJ 4 dated 7th August 2026 for supposed officials of the Fisheries Commission, and SAJ 5 dated 6th August 2026 for supposed officials of the National Disaster Management Organization.
“Our checks indicate that some of the individuals do not hold the positions attributed to them, while some of the positions do not even exist,” it said.
The Minority questioned why the Director of Passports, Mr. Yahaya Amantana Mahama, was interdicted, alleging he is being made a scapegoat to shield others.
It said some passport holders told them they paid money but were left stranded when they needed help clearing immigration, with calls unanswered and no refunds. This, it said, triggered the exposé.
Payment Records
The Minority also displayed payment records allegedly made to Bright Yeboah Owusu, including GCB Bank cash deposit receipts dated 24th June 2026 and 15th June 2026, and mobile money payments on 24th June 2026 and others.
“These are only some of the payment records we have obtained. The persons who provided them say these were payments made for the diplomatic and service passports,” it said.
The Motion
The Minority wants a targeted review covering all approvals and issuances of diplomatic and service passports from 7th January 2025 to the date the motion is adopted.
It wants the committee to have access to passport applications, institutional recommendations, approval letters, issuance records, payment records and electronic records to establish who processed and approved each application.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Chief Director, the interdicted Director of Passports, the identified agent, relevant passport and immigration officers, and persons who obtained the passports must all appear.
The Minority dismissed the Ministry’s internal committee chaired by Ambassador Alexander Grant Ntrakwa, saying the very people who supervised the system cannot investigate it.
“Nemo judex in causa sua – no one should be a judge in their own cause,” it said, adding that the internal committee has been instructed not to speak, raising concerns about a possible cover-up. It appealed to the Majority to support the motion.
“Supporting an inquiry does not require anyone to accept the allegations as proven. It requires us to agree that allegations of this seriousness… deserve a thorough and credible examination,” the Minority said.
“The authority of the Republic must never become a private means of financial gain.”
