The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cited serious breaches of Ghana’s public procurement laws in a contract signed by former Ambassador to the United States, Hajia Alima Mahama, during her tenure at the Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Addressing a press briefing in Accra, Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa revealed that the Ministry found no evidence of procurement approval or legal clearance for a 2023 contract between the Embassy and a private company operated by a locally recruited staff member, Fred Kwarteng.
The contract, which covered courier and visa application services, was allegedly executed by the former Ambassador without authorization from the Ministry or the Public Procurement Authority.
“We have combed through all our records at both the headquarters and the mission, and there is absolutely no documentation indicating that this contract received ministerial or legal clearance,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.
He described the deal as a “flagrant violation of Ghana’s procurement laws and diplomatic service protocols.”
The revelation forms part of ongoing investigations into what the Minister described as a “sophisticated fraudulent scheme.”
Earlier, Mr. Ablakwa disclosed that a special audit had uncovered widespread malpractice at the Embassy, leading to disciplinary actions—including the immediate dismissal of Fred Kwarteng, who joined the Embassy’s IT Department on August 11, 2017.
According to the audit report and Kwarteng’s own admission, he created an unauthorized link on the Embassy’s website, diverting passport and visa applicants to a private platform he owned, where unapproved fees were charged.
The matter has since been referred to the Attorney-General for possible prosecution and the recovery of state funds.
In response to the findings, the Ministry has recalled all Foreign Affairs staff posted to the Embassy, dissolved the entire IT department, and suspended all locally recruited staff pending further investigations.
The controversial contract was signed with a company called Travel Ghana Secure Data Center, represented by Mr. Kwarteng, the former IT officer. The agreement granted him sweeping powers to operate courier services for visa and passport processing—without any regulatory oversight.
“Most troubling,” Mr. Ablakwa noted, “is that the contract contained no termination clause, no fixed duration, and no pricing controls—effectively allowing the service provider to charge applicants arbitrary fees indefinitely.”
“This is not just irregular; it is illegal. No public officer—certainly not an Ambassador—has the authority to enter into a financial agreement of this nature without adhering to Ghana’s procurement rules,” he added.
Mr. Ablakwa emphasized that under Ghana’s Public Procurement Act, all government entities must seek approval from the Public Procurement Authority for sole-sourced or restricted tenders. There was no evidence that such procedures were followed in this case.
“This contract would not survive even the most basic legal scrutiny. The lack of competitive bidding, the blatant conflict of interest, and the absence of cost controls are glaring red flags,” he said.
He also refuted recent public comments by the former Ambassador defending the contract, accusing her of attempting to mislead the public about the Ministry’s authority and procedures.
“She claims that ambassadors can independently sign such agreements. That is absolutely false. Even when contracts are initiated at the mission level, they must go through legal and procurement review by the Ministry. That process was completely ignored,” he said.
Mr. Ablakwa clarified that under the Ministry’s operational guidelines, contracts involving financial commitments are to be signed by the Head of Chancery—not the Ambassador—after receiving clearance from the Ministry.
“This control mechanism exists precisely to prevent the kind of abuse we are now confronting,” he said.
He contrasted the Washington contract with similar service agreements in other missions such as London and Beijing, which underwent proper procurement processes and included transparent fee structures and revenue-sharing terms.
“In the UK, applicants pay £45 for certain expedited services, with £7 remitted to the state. In the US and China, the standard fee is $55, with $7 going to the government. But the Washington contract allowed Mr. Kwarteng to charge arbitrary fees with no benefit to the state,” he said.
The Minister confirmed that the Ministry had submitted its full report to oversight bodies, including the Economic and Organised Office (EOCO) and the Office of the Attorney-General, for possible prosecution.
“We will not tolerate impunity or allow procurement infractions to be concealed under the guise of diplomacy. The law must apply to all—whether at home or abroad,” he asserted.
Mr. Ablakwa reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to protecting public funds and ensuring accountability in Ghana’s diplomatic missions.
“Our embassies must reflect the values of integrity, transparency, and good governance. This is not merely about a bad contract—it’s about safeguarding Ghana’s international reputation,” he concluded.
Source: GNA
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