KEY POINTS

• Gyampo accuses public officials of leaking confidential information to the NPP.

• Foreign Affairs Ministry cancels 10 service passports and interdicts two officials.

• Two beneficiaries reportedly travelled abroad using passports linked to the alleged scheme.

Professor Ransford Gyampo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority, has accused some public service officials of leaking confidential government information to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to advance political interests.

Gyampo alleged that certain individuals who remained in public institutions after the change of government were using their positions to sustain corrupt practices and release sensitive information for political purposes.

In a series of social media posts on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, he suggested that the alleged activities were intended to undermine the current administration. However, he expressed confidence that the government would use the situation as an opportunity to reform the public service.

He described the alleged officials as remnants of the previous administration who were continuing corrupt practices and leaking information for what he called inconsequential political benefits.

Gyampo said the government would seize the opportunity to reset the public service and address the alleged misconduct.

Gyampo criticises NPP’s calls for ministerial resignations

The Ghana Shippers Authority chief also criticised the NPP’s approach to demanding accountability from government officials.

He questioned the opposition’s increasing reliance on press conferences to call for the resignation of political appointees, describing the strategy as ineffective.

Gyampo argued that the approach fell short of the political communication methods previously used by prominent National Democratic Congress (NDC) figures, including Fiifi Kwetey and Sammy Gyamfi.

His comments come amid growing pressure from the NPP on Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to resign over controversies surrounding the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa and allegations of irregularities involving Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports.

The opposition has demanded explanations from the minister over the government’s handling of the evacuation and the alleged unlawful acquisition of travel documents.

Foreign Ministry cancels 10 service passports

Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cancelled 10 service passports and interdicted two officials following preliminary investigations into suspected irregularities in the issuance of the travel documents.

In a statement issued on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the ministry said its investigations had uncovered an alleged arrangement through which individuals who did not meet the eligibility requirements obtained service passports after making unauthorised payments.

The affected passports were reportedly issued between January 2023 and August 2026.

The ministry said the cancellation had rendered the documents invalid for international travel. It added that relevant foreign authorities had been notified to prevent the passports from being used.

The two officials interdicted are Acting Director of Passports Mahama Yahaya Amantana and junior Foreign Service Officer Alhassan Sumani.

Both have been referred to the Ghana Police Service for further investigation and possible prosecution over their alleged involvement in the arrangement.

According to the ministry, Sumani was identified as a central figure in the suspected operation, with his name appearing in all the petitions submitted over the matter.

It further alleged that before joining the Foreign Service on November 29, 2024, he operated as an intermediary, commonly known as a “goro boy”, helping people obtain passports.

Investigation follows complaints over alleged payments

The investigation began after the ministry received two petitions alleging that money had been collected from applicants seeking service passports through unauthorised channels.

One petition, received on October 8, 2026, alleged that US$29,000 had been paid to individuals involved in the arrangement. Another petition submitted in 2026 cited a payment of US$5,000.

Following the complaints, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa directed the establishment of an investigative committee on October 13, 2026, to examine the allegations and identify those responsible.

The inquiry is expected to cover both serving and former officials connected to the issuance of the affected passports.

The ministry confirmed that former Director of Passports, Ambassador Mohammed Habib Idris, would also be investigated by security agencies. Idris supervised the passport office during part of the period under investigation but has since retired from public service.

The ministry said his retirement would not prevent appropriate sanctions if investigations established that he was involved in any wrongdoing.

Ten beneficiaries identified

The ministry has released the names of the 10 individuals whose service passports were cancelled.

They are Richard Sakyi Apenteng, Augustina Agyei Boateng, Juliet Amankwa, Rebecca Agyeiwaa, Prince Ahensah, Maybel Ahensah, Twumasi Francis Kwame, Gyabaah Anthony, Frederick Ennin and Bosompem Richard.

Investigators also established that two of the beneficiaries had travelled outside Ghana in 2023 using passports allegedly obtained through the irregular arrangement.

The ministry said efforts were continuing to identify and investigate everyone connected to the suspected scheme. It indicated that further action could follow as the investigation progresses.