The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has petitioned the United States Embassy in Ghana over what it describes as the alleged fraudulent issuance of diplomatic and service passports to six individuals who purportedly hold positions in public institutions they do not legitimately occupy.
The petition, led by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, was presented to the US Mission on Friday, October 30, 2026.
The opposition party is asking the US Embassy to tighten its verification procedures for Ghanaian diplomatic and service passport holders and suspend the granting of visas, visa waivers and other diplomatic courtesies to individuals who cannot establish that they legitimately occupy the public offices indicated on their travel documents.
According to the NPP, the petition follows concerns over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ approval of special service passports for six individuals using what the party describes as fabricated official positions at the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Fisheries Commission.
The party alleged that three of the individuals were presented as senior officials of NADMO despite not holding the positions attributed to them.
They include Twumasi Francis Kwame, who is allegedly described as Deputy Director of Climate Change; Shaibu Alhassan Abu, listed as Director of Hydro; and Gyabaah Anthony, identified as Director of Geologicals.
The NPP further alleged that three other individuals were cleared for service passports using questionable positions at the Fisheries Commission.
They are Bennor Yussif, who is allegedly identified as Deputy Director of Information Technology; Issah Ayisha, described as Deputy Director and Aquaculture Specialist; and Adom Emmanuel Kwabena, listed as an Assistant Finance Manager.
The party maintains that the positions attributed to the six individuals either do not exist or are not legitimately occupied by them.
It further questioned why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs allegedly overlooked the substantive public officers responsible for the relevant positions when processing the passports.
To support its claims, the NPP said it submitted photographs of five individuals it identified as the legitimate officers holding the relevant positions.
The individuals are Mr Ebenezer Vandyke, Dr Bertha Kusimi, Mr Bright Atama, Mr Gideon Boakye and Mr Robert Ampadu.
According to the party, the photographs are attached to the petition to assist the US Embassy in independently verifying the identities and official positions of individuals presenting Ghanaian service passports.
The NPP argued that the matter raises serious concerns because the passports in question are specifically designated for official use and should be issued only to individuals with legitimate state responsibilities.
It maintained that individuals who do not hold the public offices stated in their travel documents cannot legitimately claim to be undertaking official government business on behalf of Ghana.
Beyond the six cases cited in its petition, the opposition party expressed concern that the alleged irregularities could be part of a broader pattern involving the distribution of diplomatic and service passports since the current administration assumed office on January 7, 2025.
The party said it had strong reasons to suspect that other individuals without legitimate public appointments might have also received such travel documents.
It consequently called for a comprehensive review of all diplomatic and service passports issued during the period.
The NPP also linked its concerns to what it described as growing damage to Ghana’s international reputation arising from recent criminal incidents and prosecutions involving Ghanaian nationals.
Among the incidents cited was the September 10, 2026, seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine, reportedly valued at €225 million, by French customs authorities from a shipment originating from Ghana.
The party also referenced an August 2026 interception at the Tema Port, where the Ghana Police Service reportedly seized 866 parcels of cocaine concealed in sacks of gari.
Additionally, it pointed to international prosecutions involving Ghanaian nationals accused of defrauding elderly victims abroad of millions of dollars.
According to the NPP, these developments make it particularly important for Ghana to protect the credibility of its official travel documents and ensure that they are not used by individuals whose identities and public positions cannot be independently verified.
It argued that diplomatic and service passports carry significant responsibilities because holders may be perceived by foreign governments and border authorities as representatives of the Ghanaian state.
The party therefore warned that issuing such documents to unauthorised individuals could undermine international confidence in Ghana’s passport administration and potentially create security concerns for the United States and other countries.
As part of its petition, the NPP outlined three measures it wants the US Mission to implement immediately.
First, it wants the Embassy to stop issuing visas, visa waivers and diplomatic courtesies to individuals holding Ghanaian diplomatic or service passports if they cannot establish that they legitimately occupy the public offices indicated in their documents.
Second, the party is urging the US authorities to subject all applications involving Ghanaian official passports issued from January 7, 2025, to rigorous verification directly with the relevant government institutions.
It believes such a process would help establish whether applicants genuinely hold the positions they claim and prevent individuals from benefiting from official travel privileges through questionable documentation.
Third, the NPP wants the US Embassy to share relevant information with other American government agencies to enable them to investigate whether the allegedly irregular passports have been used for activities that could compromise international security or facilitate other forms of abuse.
While appealing to the US authorities to strengthen their verification procedures, the NPP has also outlined a series of demands directed at the Government of Ghana.
The party is demanding the immediate cancellation of all diplomatic and service passports issued to individuals who do not legitimately occupy the official positions stated in their applications.
It is also calling on the government to publish a comprehensive list of all diplomatic and service passports issued since January 2025.
The proposed publication, according to the party, should include the names of the passport holders, their exact official positions and the legal basis upon which each individual qualified for the travel document.
The NPP further wants the entire passport issuance process subjected to an independent investigation led by the Auditor-General or another independent body operating outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It insists that the findings of the investigation must be made public to ensure transparency and accountability.
Additionally, the party is demanding that all passports found to have been irregularly issued be retrieved and that individuals implicated in the alleged scheme be handed over to the appropriate authorities for criminal prosecution.
The opposition party also wants the government to formally notify all accredited foreign diplomatic missions in Ghana in writing after the independent audit has been completed.
It believes such notification would help restore confidence in Ghana’s official travel documents and rebuild trust with international partners.
The party said its decision to petition the US Embassy is informed by its responsibility as the main opposition party to demand accountability, fight corruption and protect Ghana’s national integrity.
It maintained that the credibility of Ghana’s diplomatic and service passports must not be compromised by political considerations or the appointment of individuals to positions they do not legitimately occupy.
The NPP is consequently insisting that the government provide a transparent account of the official travel documents issued since January 7, 2025, and take immediate steps to address any irregularities established.
The petition places renewed attention on the administration of diplomatic and service passports and raises questions about the verification procedures employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before approving such documents.
However, the allegations made by the NPP require independent verification, and the positions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NADMO and the Fisheries Commission on the specific claims will be important in establishing the full facts of the matter.
By 1960news.com
