The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has petitioned the United States government to investigate the alleged irregular issuance of Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports and suspend diplomatic courtesies for beneficiaries whose documents may have been obtained through false employment claims.
The request was contained in a letter dated October 30, 2026, and signed by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong. The letter was addressed to the US Chargé d’Affaires in Ghana, Rolf Olson.
The opposition party is asking the US Mission in Ghana to investigate six individuals who allegedly obtained service passports after being presented as officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Fisheries Commission.
According to the NPP, the positions attributed to the six beneficiaries do not correspond with their actual employment status. The party also alleges that some of the job titles stated in two Ministry of Foreign Affairs approval letters dated August 6 and 7, 2026, do not exist within the respective institutions.
NPP Raises Concerns Over NADMO Service Passport Approvals
The NPP identified three individuals who were approved for service passports in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs letter dated August 6, 2026.
They include Twumasi Francis Kwame, described as Deputy Director of Climate Change; Shaibu Alhassan Abu, listed as Director of Hydro; and Gyabaah Anthony, identified as Director of Geology.
However, the party claims these positions are occupied by other officers, whom it identified as Ebenezer Vandyke, Dr Bertha Kusimi and Bright Atama.
The NPP argues that the alleged discrepancies raise questions about the accuracy of the employment details submitted in support of the service passport applications.
Fisheries Commission Passport Approvals Under Scrutiny
The party has also questioned three service passport approvals involving Issah Ayisha, Bennor Yussif and Adom Emmanuel Kwabena, who were reportedly presented as officials of the Fisheries Commission in a second approval letter dated August 7, 2026.
According to the NPP, the Fisheries Commission does not have positions designated as Deputy Director of Aquaculture Specialist or Assistant Finance Manager.
The party further alleges that the position of Deputy Director of Information Technology is occupied by another individual.
These claims, according to the NPP, raise concerns about whether the beneficiaries met the requirements for obtaining official service passports.
NPP Questions Eligibility of Service Passport Holders
The opposition party maintains that service passports are intended for individuals whose official responsibilities require government-authorised international travel.
It argued that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ approval letters clearly stated that the passports were strictly for official purposes.
The NPP therefore questioned how individuals who allegedly do not occupy the stated public positions could qualify for such travel documents.
The party described the alleged misrepresentation of employment positions as a serious irregularity that requires investigation and appropriate action.
Party Demands Audit of Ghanaian Diplomatic Passports
Beyond the six cases, the NPP is calling for stronger verification procedures for all Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports issued from January 7, 2025.
It wants the US Mission to independently verify the official positions of passport holders with the institutions they claim to represent before extending diplomatic courtesies.
The party has also outlined several demands, including:
- Suspension of service and diplomatic passports issued to individuals found to be ineligible.
- Publication of a comprehensive list of diplomatic and service passports issued since January 2025.
- An independent audit of Ghana’s passport issuance procedures.
- Appointment of the Auditor-General or another independent institution to conduct the investigation.
- Public disclosure of the audit findings.
- Revocation and recovery of passports found to have been issued irregularly.
- Investigation and possible prosecution of individuals found culpable.
NPP Says Petition Is in Ghana’s National Interest
The NPP has insisted that its petition is intended to protect Ghana’s international reputation and strengthen accountability in the country’s passport administration system.
The party stressed that it does not seek to disrupt legitimate official travel but wants to ensure that diplomatic privileges are granted only to qualified individuals.
It also linked its concerns to recent international incidents that it says have damaged Ghana’s image, including drug seizures involving consignments from Ghana and romance fraud cases prosecuted in foreign jurisdictions.
The development is expected to intensify public debate over Ghana’s diplomatic passport administration, public sector accountability, official travel privileges and the need for transparency in government institutions.
Source: newsthemegh.com