Diplomatic Passport Scandal
Investigate Alleged $50,000 Passport Sales And Arrest Culprits – Charles McCarthy Demands
Charles McCarthy, Managing Editor of The Hawk, has called for an immediate investigation into allegations that Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports are being illegally sold for between US$10,000 and US$50,000.
According to McCarthy’s statement on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Section 6 of the Passport and Travel Certificate Decree, 1967 (NLCD 155), specifies who qualifies for a diplomatic passport, although certain prominent individuals may be granted such passports through discretionary arrangements.
He questioned the circumstances surrounding the reported recall of diplomatic and service passports by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in 2025, demanding clarity on which passports were retrieved and which remained in circulation.
McCarthy stressed that not everyone automatically qualifies for a diplomatic passport and urged authorities to ensure that the law is strictly enforced.
He further called for a thorough investigation into allegations that individuals at the Passport Office are facilitating the illegal sale of diplomatic and service passports for huge sums of money.
“Anyone caught engaging in such acts must be handed over to the police because it amounts to a crime,”
McCarthy stated.
He maintained that the allegations, if substantiated, could undermine the integrity of Ghana’s passport system and must be treated with the seriousness they deserve.
