Minority alleges 300 Ghanaians travelled abroad on passports obtained through an illegal scheme

The alleged scheme involved selling access to diplomatic and service passports through a travel-and-tour business in Ghana. The Minority says customers paid money for these special documents even though they did not qualify under the law. This matters because such passports are intended for officially eligible travellers, not commercial customers seeking easier international travel.

Samuel Abu Jinapor identified Ibrahim Wallee as the business manager in Ghana and Bright Yeboah Owusu as his European agent. Applicants were allegedly assigned government positions or designations they did not hold, or that did not exist. Some officials allegedly helped beneficiaries avoid or reduce immigration checks at airports.

The Minority estimates that about 300 Ghanaians travelled abroad through the arrangement. It wants Parliament to investigate the scale, how officials enabled it, and whether public officers received money. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has separately revoked 10 Service Passports and referred two officials for investigation.

Diplomatic and service passports are official travel documents issued by governments for people travelling in recognised public roles. In general, diplomatic passports serve diplomats and certain senior state representatives, while service passports serve officials travelling on government business. They are different from ordinary passports because eligibility depends on public office or official duties.

The article does not provide Ghana’s complete legal categories or eligibility list. It does state that the alleged applicants were not qualified under the law and that some were assigned government positions or designations they did not hold. The Foreign Affairs Ministry said 10 Service Passports were issued to people who failed to meet the requirements.

That distinction matters because the documents represent an official connection to the state. If private customers obtain them through invented roles, the passport system records a false status. It can also make ordinary travellers appear to be authorised government representatives when they are not.

The Minority says its sources indicate that approximately 300 Ghanaians travelled to Europe and other destinations using diplomatic or service passports allegedly issued through the arrangement. That figure is an allegation presented at a parliamentary press conference, not a confirmed final count. The Minority wants an investigation to establish the true number.

The Ministry has confirmed a smaller, separate figure so far. It said 10 Service Passports, issued between January 2023 and August 2026, were revoked after preliminary investigations found that the recipients did not meet the requirements. Two of those beneficiaries allegedly travelled abroad in 2023.

The two figures describe different stages of the matter. The 300 figure represents the alleged broader operation, while the 10 revoked passports are the documents officially identified and cancelled by the Ministry. Further investigations could establish whether the larger estimate is accurate and identify additional beneficiaries.

The alleged operation involved a travel-and-tour business, officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office, and the applicants who received the documents. The Minority identified Ibrahim Wallee as the person managing the business in Ghana. It named Bright Yeboah Owusu as Wallee’s agent in Europe.

According to Samuel Abu Jinapor, applicants were given government positions or designations they did not occupy, or that did not exist. The Minority also alleged that some officials assisted beneficiaries at airports, helping them avoid or minimise scrutiny by immigration officers. These claims describe both document processing and travel-stage assistance.

The Ministry has taken action against two named officials. Acting Director of Passports Mahama Yahaya Amantana and junior Foreign Service Officer Alhassan Sumani were interdicted and referred to the Ghana Police Service. Their referrals concern possible involvement in the alleged illegal passport arrangement.

Special passports are issued on the basis of recognised official eligibility. Assigning an applicant a false government position could make that person appear to qualify during the application process. If the invented position was accepted in official records, the passport application could move forward despite the applicant’s real status.

The alleged mechanism had two parts. First, applicants were reportedly given positions they did not hold, or titles that did not exist. Second, some officials allegedly helped beneficiaries at airports to avoid or minimise scrutiny. Together, false paperwork and reduced checking could allow an unqualified traveller to obtain and use the document.

The claims remain allegations requiring investigation. The Ministry has already revoked 10 Service Passports after preliminary inquiries and said two beneficiaries travelled abroad in 2023. A parliamentary investigation could clarify who created the false designations, who approved applications, and how airport assistance occurred.

If the allegations are confirmed, beneficiaries could have their improperly obtained passports cancelled and could be investigated for using documents obtained through false information. The Ministry has already revoked 10 Service Passports and said it was pursuing the beneficiaries. Two people who allegedly travelled abroad with the documents in 2023 were specifically mentioned.

Officials could face internal discipline and criminal investigation if they issued documents improperly, created false designations, accepted payments, or helped travellers evade checks. The Ministry has interdicted Acting Director of Passports Mahama Yahaya Amantana and junior Foreign Service Officer Alhassan Sumani. Both were referred to the Ghana Police Service for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The final consequences depend on evidence and the findings of investigations or any parliamentary inquiry. The Minority wants Parliament to establish the operation’s full scale, how it was facilitated, and whether public officials benefited financially. The Ministry’s investigation remains ongoing.

A passport is a government-issued identity and travel document. It identifies the holder, records nationality, and asks other countries to recognise the holder for international travel. Special passports add an official-status element, showing that the holder is travelling in a recognised government role. These functions depend on accurate information and lawful issuance.

Falsely claiming an official position undermines that system because the passport no longer reflects the traveller’s real identity or public role. In the alleged arrangement, applicants were assigned positions they did not hold, or positions that did not exist. That false information could make an unqualified person appear entitled to a special document.

The article links the alleged problem to 10 revoked Service Passports and a broader Minority estimate of about 300 travellers. The Ministry is pursuing beneficiaries and investigating officials. A parliamentary inquiry could show how widely the records were falsified and whether public officials profited.