10 illegally issued Service Passports cancelled as Foreign Affairs Ministry pursues beneficiaries

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revoked 10 Service Passports allegedly obtained through an illegal arrangement involving a syndicate operating within the passport administration system.

The affected documents were issued between January 2023 and August 2026 to individuals who, according to preliminary investigations, did not meet the requirements for obtaining Service Passports.

In a statement released on Sunday, November 8, the Ministry said all 10 passports had been cancelled, with international partners notified of the decision to prevent their further use.

It added that the beneficiaries were being pursued, including two individuals who allegedly travelled abroad using the illegally acquired documents in 2023.

The Ministry’s investigations followed two petitions received on October 8, 2026, prompting the establishment of an investigative committee on October 13 on the instructions of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, and a junior Foreign Service Officer, Alhassan Sumani, have been interdicted and referred to the Ghana Police Service for further investigations and possible prosecution.

The Ministry has also indicated that retired Ambassador Mohammed Habib Idris, who served as Director of Passports in 2023 when some of the irregularities occurred, will be investigated by the security services and sanctioned if found culpable.

It said the alleged operation predated the current administration but assured the public that all those involved would face the full consequences of their actions.