Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is the Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has confirmed that a formal petition has been submitted to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate the former Head of IT at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., Fred Kwarteng, over allegations of financial impropriety and abuse of office.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the Minister stated that the proceeds of the alleged crime would be traced, and Kwarteng would be extradited to Ghana for prosecution.
“EOCO has been petitioned to probe Alfred Kwarteng, trace the proceeds of crime, and have him brought to Ghana for prosecution,” he said.
He added that a complete overhaul of the Embassy’s IT Department and Client Services Centre had been undertaken to enhance transparency. Between May 27 and June 13, 2025, a total of 4,472 visas were processed and issued, and 3,500 backlog cases from May 2025 were cleared.
To accommodate the surge in applications, the Minister noted that the Mission’s working hours had been extended from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with some staff working beyond 10:00 PM.
“To manage the high volume of applications, the Mission’s working hours have been extended from 8 AM to 8 PM, with some staff working beyond 10 PM. I must commend the commitment of our diplomats in rising to the challenge and ensuring that Ghanaians receive timely services,” he said.
Ablakwa further disclosed that three new telephone lines had been introduced to reduce congestion. During a two-week period, 2,277 real-time online chats and 543 emails were successfully handled.
“The Mission’s IT infrastructure has been fully reconfigured. A lighting system has been introduced, and an official email system established to promote professionalism. Three new phone lines have also been added,” he stated.
On internal operations, the Minister revealed that the Ministry had launched an investigative process into the conduct of staff members.
“So far, 25 staff have been interviewed. A few individuals have voluntarily resigned, and the remaining staff are scheduled to be interviewed this week. A comprehensive report will be presented once the inquiry concludes,” he added.
Despite the operational improvements, Okudzeto Ablakwa noted that challenges remain with mailing services, primarily due to logistical bottlenecks with the U.S. Postal Service.
“Approximately 490 fully issued visa packages on June 6, 2025, were not properly scanned. This has understandably raised concerns among applicants,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fred Kwarteng has denied all allegations of financial impropriety and abuse of office, insisting that his actions were transparent and delivered tangible benefits to Ghanaians both in the United States and at home.
JKB/MA
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