Service Passports Saga: Foreign Affairs Ministry Exposes Alleged $29,000 And $5,000 Payment, Hands Suspects Over To Police

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed alleged irregularities in the issuance of service passports, including claims that two individuals paid US$29,000 and US$5,000 respectively to secure the official travel documents.

In a phone interview on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Francis Gborglah, Director of Information and Public Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disclosed that the ministry received a complaint on October 8, 2026, concerning a man who allegedly arranged with an officer to obtain a service passport despite knowing that such documents are reserved for eligible government officials assigned official duties.

According to him, following the complaint, a committee was established on October 13,2026 to investigate the matter.
He revealed that the investigation uncovered an incident involving the alleged passport arrangement, leading to the interdiction of those implicated and their referral to the police for further investigations.

Gborglah further disclosed that the ministry received two separate petitions from individuals claiming to have paid US$29,000 and US$5,000 respectively in connection with the acquisition of service passports.
He explained that the ministry has so far identified 10 individuals who should not have been issued service passports since 2023 and have been confiscated.
He explained that, four passports of such were issued in 2023 alone and have therefore notified their foreign partners to disregard the affected travel documents.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry maintained that the alleged irregularities did not begin under the current administration, stressing that the emerging revelations have prompted officials to revisit previous records to establish the full facts.

Gborglah emphasized that the ministry is determined to uncover the circumstances surrounding the questionable issuance of service passports and ensure that the appropriate actions are taken.
The revelations come amid growing public concerns over the alleged abuse of Ghana’s official travel documents and the need for accountability in their issuance