The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has responded to an undercover investigation by The Fourth Estate concerning alleged irregularities surrounding document attestation services provided by state institutions.
The ministry said it became aware of an online report published on September 2, 2026, which examined the activities of individuals allegedly offering unofficial assistance to people seeking document attestation and authentication services.
While commending The Fourth Estate for its investigative work, the ministry said the report contributes to efforts aimed at promoting good governance, public accountability, transparency and efficient government service delivery.
Ministry Warns Public Against Attestation Middlemen
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured the public that it operates a zero-tolerance policy towards middlemen and unauthorised third-party facilitators involved in obtaining attestation documents.
Management said it remains committed to maintaining high standards of integrity, transparency and ethical public service delivery.
The ministry strongly condemned the activities of individuals who allegedly exploit vulnerable citizens by offering to facilitate government services for unofficial fees.
According to the ministry, such individuals have no official authority to act on its behalf and members of the public are advised not to engage their services.
Implicated Individual Sanctioned and Reported to Police
The ministry disclosed that following a report concerning the undercover investigation, the individual implicated in the matter — who it said is not a staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — had been sanctioned by his respective institution.
The individual has also been reported to law enforcement authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Additionally, the ministry said the person has been barred from entering the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The development is expected to reinforce efforts to protect applicants seeking official Ghana document attestation and consular services from unauthorised intermediaries.
Attestation Process Involves Multiple Government Institutions
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the document attestation process involves several government institutions across different arms of the state.
It said efforts to improve coordination among these institutions and strengthen multi-institutional integrity, verification and credibility have been ongoing for several months.
The ministry noted that these reform efforts were already underway before the publication of The Fourth Estate’s investigation.
Foreign Affairs Ministry Introduces Digital Attestation Reforms
The ministry further revealed that it has been implementing comprehensive reforms to improve its consular and document attestation services.
One of the major reforms involves moving towards a cashless and digital payment system to make government transactions more transparent and efficient.
Digital platforms are also being developed to support the entire attestation process and significantly reduce unnecessary human interaction between applicants and officials.
According to the ministry, the reforms are expected to reduce opportunities for unofficial intermediaries while improving transparency, accountability and service delivery.
The ministry expressed confidence that the changes will achieve results similar to the improvements recorded in Passport Administration in Ghana.
Official Ghana Attestation Fee Remains GHS200
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reiterated that the parliamentary-approved fee for document attestation is GHS200.
The official fee is collected by authorised officials of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, who issue the appropriate government receipt.
The ministry stressed that members of the public should not pay middlemen or unauthorised facilitators to obtain attestation services.
It described the engagement of such middlemen as strictly illegal and urged applicants to use only official channels when processing their documents.
How to Report Attestation Fraud or Complaints
Members of the public who have information about suspected irregularities, unauthorised middlemen, excessive charges or other concerns relating to Ghana Foreign Affairs attestation services have been encouraged to report them to the ministry.
For enquiries, complaints and further information, members of the public can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on:
Phone: +233 240 913 284 / +233 240 793 072
Email: [email protected]
The ministry said its ongoing digital reforms are intended to create a more secure, transparent, efficient and accountable system for document attestation and consular services in Ghana.
Source: newsthemegh.com