{
  "id": 18972089,
  "title": "Foreign Affairs Ministry refers 2 interdicted officers to police over illegal passport scheme",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/foreign-affairs-ministry-refers-2-interdicted-officers-to-police-over",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-08T16:24:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/foreign-affairs-ministry-refers-2-interdicted-officers-to-police-over-illegal-passport-scheme/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has handed over two of its officers to the Ghana Police Service for further investigation and potential prosecution over an alleged illegal passport issuance scheme. The officers under scrutiny are the Acting Director of Passports, Mahama Yahaya Amantana, and a junior Foreign Service Officer named Alhassan Sumani.\n\nAccording to the Ministry, Sumani, who joined the Foreign Service on November 29, 2024, is believed to be the mastermind behind the scheme. He is also accused of acting as a \"goro boy\" in 2023 before his appointment. The Ministry announced its decision to refer the two officers to the police based on preliminary findings that some individuals were granted passports illegally through payments to a syndicate.\n\nThe decision to involve the police came after two petitions were received on October 8, 2026. Following this, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, issued a directive on October 13 to establish a committee to investigate the allegations.",
  "summary": "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has referred two of its officers to the Ghana Police Service for further investigations and possible prosecution over their alleged involvement in an illegal Service Passport issuance scheme.",
  "key_points": [
    "Two interdicted officers referred to police by Foreign Affairs Ministry.",
    "Sumani accused of masterminding illegal passport issuance scheme."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "Foreign Affairs Ministry uncovers illegal sale of 10 Service Passports; two officers interdicted",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/foreign-affairs-ministry-uncovers-illegal-sale-of-10-service",
        "published": "2026-11-08T14:59:15.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}