KEY POINTS
- Victor Smith says Mahama will fire appointees who use office to make money.
- He says the president plans “serious decisions” soon on security lapses.
- The comments come as prosecutors probe a passport sales scandal.
President John Dramani Mahama will sack appointees who use their positions to enrich themselves, Ghana’s ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, said Monday, according to 3News.
Speaking on TV3, Smith said the president is closely watching how his officials behave. Mahama has warned that he would fire anyone who took office to make money the moment he hears of it, Smith said. He also recalled Mahama remarking, in a sarcastic tone, that he would surprise his critics.
Victor Smith urges Mahama to act
Still, Smith said the president must follow through. “He must crack the whip as well when the time comes,” he said, according to Ghanamma, adding that warnings without action are not enough.
The envoy also defended Mahama over criticism of security chiefs, after recent cocaine seizures and drug-trafficking cases surfaced despite earlier high-level security meetings. “He’s going to take some serious decisions very soon,” Smith said, declining to say what those might be.
Passport scandal adds pressure
His comments come amid a growing passport scandal. On Monday, the Office of the Special Prosecutor opened an investigation into suspected corruption in the sale of diplomatic and service passports, 3News reported.
The Foreign Ministry had already canceled 10 service passports and suspended two officers over alleged bribery and signature forgery. Meanwhile, majority and minority lawmakers clashed in Parliament over calls for an inquiry into the scheme, which the ministry said ran from January 2023 to August 2026.
Separately, Smith said Ghana is finalizing talks with Boeing on a new national airline.
