Two officers interdicted over illegal Service Passport scheme
Ministry of Foreign Affairs refers Mahama Yahaya Amantana and Alhassan Sumani to police for investigation into alleged bribery.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has interdicted two officers, Acting Director of Passports Mahama Yahaya Amantana and junior officer Alhassan Sumani, over an alleged illegal scheme to issue Ghanaian Service Passports to unqualified people for money. The Ministry stated on November 8, 2026, that it had sent both officers to the Ghana Police Service for investigation and possible prosecution. This action follows two petitions received by the Ministry, with the first submitted on October 8, 2026.
Preliminary findings by a committee established on October 13, 2026, confirmed that 10 individuals who did not qualify for Service Passports received the documents between January 2023 and August 2026 after allegedly paying a syndicate. The first petitioner claimed to have paid US$29,000 in 2023, while the second alleged a US$5,000 payment in 2026. Alhassan Sumani, identified as a key figure and alleged mastermind, reportedly operated as a middleman before joining the Foreign Service on November 29, 2024.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to improving passport administration, highlighting reforms such as chip-embedded passports and 24-hour operations. The passport application fee was reduced from GH¢500 to GH¢350. The Vice Chairperson of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Cletus Seidu Dapalah, claimed the scheme began in 2023 under the previous New Patriotic Party administration.