Ghana’s Parliamentary Minority will file a motion on Thursday for an ad hoc committee to investigate allegations that diplomatic and service passports were sold to private individuals, arguing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot investigate itself.
The motion, to be submitted under Article 103 of the Constitution, will seek a review of all approvals and issuances of diplomatic and service passports from January 7, 2025, until the date it is adopted.
At a press conference in Accra on Sunday evening, November 8, 2026, the Minority said the ministry’s internal investigation could not replace parliamentary oversight.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on Sunday that an internal committee, chaired by Ambassador Alexander Grant Ntrakwa, had been established to examine the acquisition of diplomatic and service passports. The ministry has also interdicted two officers over alleged passport fraud.
“But the existence of that committee does not answer the questions we have raised, and it cannot take the place of parliamentary oversight,” the Minority said.
The press conference was addressed by the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor. Citing the legal principle nemo judex in causa sua that no person should be a judge in their own case he said the allegations involved officials, approvals and procedures within the ministry itself.
“The very people who superintended this rot cannot be the same persons to investigate it,” the Minority said.
It further alleged that the internal committee had been directed not to comment publicly on the matter, explaining why the ministry had not published any information about the investigation.
“To us, this raises grave concerns about a possible cover-up. And the only way to uncover this is through an independent investigation by Parliament,” it said.
The Minority said the issue went beyond the identities of passport holders and concerned whether foreign governments could continue to trust Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports.
Those documents are issued in the name and under the authority of the Republic of Ghana. According to the Minority, foreign governments offer holders courtesy, trust and facilitation on the assumption that the passports are reserved for qualified people travelling for official purposes.
“Foreign governments must be able to trust that anyone carrying a Ghanaian diplomatic or service passport is entitled to hold it, and is traveling for an official purpose,” it said. “If these passports can be bought under false official designations, it would mean that the system for issuing them has been compromised.”
The Minority presented five approval letters, labelled SAJ 1 to SAJ 5, which it said were signed by Chief Director Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu on behalf of the minister between June 1 and August 7, 2026.
The letters approved passports for people described as officials of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, Akrofuom District Assembly, Ghana TVET Service, Fisheries Commission and NADMO.
One example involved Mr. Amoh Boadi, who was listed on June 1 as Deputy Director, Audit Services at the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, before being identified three days later as Deputy District Coordinating Director of Akrofuom District Assembly.
The Minority said its checks suggested some applicants did not hold the positions attributed to them, while others were linked to posts that did not exist. It also displayed redacted passport biodata pages and June 2026 GCB Bank receipts and mobile money records, which it said showed payments to agent Bright Yeboah Owusu for passports and travel arrangements.
It alleged that about 300 Ghanaians had travelled to Europe and elsewhere using passports issued through the arrangement, allegedly run for Ministry and Passport Office officials by Ibrahim Wallee in Ghana and Mr. Owusu in Europe.
The proposed committee would be able to summon witnesses, question them under oath, demand documents and seek access to witnesses abroad. The Minority wants the Minister, Chief Director, interdicted Director of Passports Mr. Yahaya Amantana Mahama, the identified agent, passport and immigration officers, and passport holders to appear.
“Ultimately, the image and reputation of the Republic of Ghana is at stake,” the Minority said.
