The Minority in Parliament has reiterated the call for a Parliamentary probe in the allegations that diplomatic and service passports were being sold to private individuals who do not occupy official positions on behalf of the state of Ghana.
According to the Minority, the proposed internal investigation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not the proper way forward since the ministry cannot investigate itself.
It said the very people accused of superintending the rot could be trusted to investigate it.
At a press conference in Accra on Sunday evening (November 8, 2026), the Minority announced it will file a motion in Parliament on Thursday morning for a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the alleged irregular issuance of the passports, invoking Article 103 of the Constitution.
The Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Samuel Abu Jinapor and the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh addressed the press conference.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on Sunday (Nov 8) announced that the ministry has constituted an internal committee chaired by Ambassador Alexander Grant Ntrakwa to look into the acquisition of diplomatic and service passports.
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"But the existence of that committee does not answer the questions we have raised, and it cannot take the place of parliamentary oversight," the Minority said.
Quoting the legal maxim nemo judex in causa sua — no one should be a judge in their own cause — the Minority at the Press conference, addressed by the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Samuel Abu Jinapor argued that the allegations concern officials, approvals and processes within the Ministry itself, and the public is entitled to an examination beyond the Ministry's own account.
"The very people who superintended this rot cannot be the same persons to investigate it," it said.
The Minority further alleged that the internal committee has been instructed not to speak on the matter at all, which is why, to date, no publication has come from the Ministry on the issue.
"To us, this raises grave concerns about a possible cover-up. And the only way to uncover this is through an independent investigation by Parliament," he said.
According to the Minority, their worry was not just who got a passport, but whether foreign governments can still trust a Ghanaian diplomatic or service passport.
Those passports, they explained, are issued in the name and under the authority of the Republic. Foreign governments extend courtesy, trust and facilitation to holders because they rely on Ghana's assurance that they are issued only to persons who qualify, and for official purpose.
If, as alleged, individuals paid to be given false official designations to obtain them, the Minority said, a facility entrusted to the State has been diverted into a private business — and Ghana's reputation is at risk.
"Foreign governments must be able to trust that anyone carrying a Ghanaian diplomatic or service passport is entitled to hold it, and is traveling for an official purpose," it said. "If these passports can be bought under false official designations, it would mean that the system for issuing them has been compromised. That would undermine confidence in our official documents and cast suspicion on even those travelling on legitimate State business."
The Minority said it is not asking Parliament to accept its claims as proven, but to test them.
It presented five approval letters, marked SAJ 1 to SAJ 5, which it said were signed by the Chief Director, Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, between June 1, 2026 and August 7, 2026, approving passports for persons presented as officials of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, Akrofuom District Assembly, Ghana TVET Service, Fisheries Commission and NADMO.
They mentioned one Amoh Boadi — who is listed on June 1 as Deputy Director, Audit Services at the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, and three days later, on June 4, was also listed as Deputy District Coordinating Director of Akrofuom District Assembly.
It said its checks indicate some individuals do not hold the positions attributed to them, while some positions do not even exist.
It also presented redacted biodata pages of passports it said were issued on the basis of false representations, and payment records — GCB Bank receipts and mobile money transfers in June 2026 — which providers claim were payments to an agent they named as Bright Yeboah Owusu for passports and travel arrangements.
It alleged that some 300 Ghanaians have travelled to Europe and other destinations using passports allegedly issued through the arrangement, operated on behalf of Ministry and Passport Office officials by Ibrahim Wallee in Ghana and Owusu in Europe.
The Minority said the motion it will be filing in Parliament will seek a targeted review of all approvals and issuances of diplomatic and service passports from January 7, 2025 to the date the motion was adopted.
It said the committee would have powers to compel witnesses, examine them on oath, require documents, and request examination of witnesses abroad — including access to applications, approval letters, issuance records, payment records, communications and electronic records showing who processed and approved each application.
It wants the Minister, the Chief Director, the interdicted Director of Passports, Yahaya Amantana Mahama, the identified agent, relevant passport and immigration officers, and persons who obtained the passports to appear.
"The records and findings of the internal committee of the Ministry should assist Parliament's work, not become a reason to prevent it," the Minority said.
It appealed directly to Majority MPs: "Supporting an inquiry does not require anyone to accept the allegations as proven. It requires us to agree that allegations of this seriousness, supported by the material we have presented, deserve a thorough and credible examination."
"Ultimately, the image and reputation of the Republic of Ghana is at stake," the minority said.
