NPP petitions U.S. Embassy to suspend recognition of new diplomatic passports

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has petitioned the U.S. Embassy in Accra to suspend its recognition of Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports issued since January 2025. The party alleges that these high-level travel documents have been issued to at least six individuals who do not hold any official state positions. NPP Communications Director Dennis Miracles Aboagye raised the alarm, warning that the current issuance process could compromise national security and damage Ghana’s international standing.

According to the NPP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs processed these applications based on false representations. Mr. Aboagye highlighted that diplomatic passports allow holders to bypass standard immigration scrutiny, a privilege that could be exploited to facilitate illicit activities, including narcotics trafficking. He pointed to previous drug seizures involving Ghanaian passport holders as examples of how such irregularities have caused national embarrassment in the past. The party also alleged that some individuals may have paid significant sums to illegally obtain these documents.

In addition to the petition to the U.S. Embassy, the NPP is calling for a full, independent audit by the Auditor-General into the issuance of all diplomatic and service passports since January 2025. The party has demanded that the government publish the names of all recipients to ensure transparency and restore the integrity of the nation's travel documents. This push for verification follows concerns that the ease with which certain individuals travel despite potential criminal involvement threatens border security.

The NPP maintains that if these discrepancies are not addressed immediately, the trust between Ghana and its international partners will be severely undermined. By seeking the intervention of the U.S. Embassy, the opposition aims to force a review of the current administration's protocols. The party insists that a rigorous verification process is the only way to ensure that only authorized state officials enjoy the protections afforded by diplomatic status.