The Executive Director of Radiant Media and Intelligence Hub,
Emmanuel Duah, has questioned attempts to link former Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey’s successor, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to controversies surrounding the alleged sale and issuance of Ghanaian service and diplomatic passports.

Reacting to the controversy on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Duah recalled that Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had previously expressed his willingness to submit records relating to accountability during South Africa’s evacuation exercise to the Auditor-General.
He questioned why concerns over the alleged sale of service passports, which reportedly persisted for years, were only now attracting public attention.

Duah also raised questions about the credentials submitted by Alhassan Sumani who was reportedly appointed in 2023 as Foreign Service Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking who authorised the appointment.

He warned against politicising the controversy to damage political opponents, insisting that accountability must take precedence over partisan interests.
According to him, reports suggesting that 5682 diplomatic passports were issued between 2017 and 2024 raise serious questions about whether all recipients genuinely qualified for them.
“We must all consider the shame that will befall Ghana for issuing diplomatic passports to undeserving people,” he stated.

Duah called for investigations into the issuance of such passports, stressing that anyone found responsible for improperly granting them must be held accountable, regardless of political affiliation.

Lawyer K.K. Serbeh, identified as a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has questioned the government’s handling of diplomatic and service passports allegedly issued under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.

According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government announced on January 14, 2025, that holders of diplomatic and service passports issued under the previous administration were required to surrender them.
He questioned why some individuals reportedly failed to comply with the directive and why authorities have allegedly remained silent despite announcing the cancellation of the passports.

Serbeh further challenged the circumstances surrounding the interdiction of the Director of Passports, arguing that the development raises serious questions about the government’s earlier claims.
“If the passports issued were genuine, why the interdiction of the Director of Passports?” he questioned.

The NPP lawyer also accused individuals who allegedly supported former President John Dramani Mahama’s return to power through falsehoods of remaining silent over controversies involving the current administration.

He insisted that the government must be held accountable for its actions, warning that past records could expose what he described as hidden truths behind current developments.
Serbeh further questioned why the government was raising concerns about alleged fraudulent activities when, according to him, it had previously dismissed certain claims and challenged critics to provide evidence.

He maintained that the NDC government must provide clear answers over the passport controversy rather than remain silent on issues of public concern.
The allegations and criticisms reflect Serbeh’s position and have not been independently verified.

Media Manager Dr Kenneth Ashigbey has questioned the commitment of Ghana’s two major political parties to the growth of independent journalism, arguing that neither the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) nor the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) may welcome a media landscape strong enough to hold politicians accountable.

According to him, politicians are unlikely to willingly support media organisations that can independently scrutinise their actions and challenge those in power without fear or favour.

Dr Ashigbey made the remarks while speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, November 9, 2026, during a discussion on the financial difficulties confronting media organisations and President John Dramani Mahama’s announcement of GH¢10 million in seed funding for the Media Development Fund.

“The politicians would not want independent media to thrive. They both, the NDC and NPP, would not want it to thrive,” he stated.

Financial pressures threatening independent journalism

Dr Ashigbey warned that the financial challenges facing media houses were making it increasingly difficult for journalists to undertake rigorous investigations and produce critical, analytical reports.

He identified the growing dominance of major digital platforms in the advertising market as one of the factors affecting the revenue streams of traditional media organisations.

He said the situation was forcing some media houses to rely more heavily on public relations-driven content instead of investing in independent journalism.

“The tendency for a lot of what I call PR journalism tends to drive what it is that we do rather than the very rigorous, critical, analytical, independent journalism that you can get,” he observed.

He stressed that a financially weak media industry could struggle to perform its constitutional responsibility of holding public officials accountable.

Media needs sustainable funding

The media manager further questioned how the press could effectively serve as the Fourth Estate when it lacked a guaranteed funding arrangement comparable to the public financing available to the Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary.

He argued that journalists and media organisations needed adequate financial resources to investigate issues of national importance and speak truth to power.

Dr Ashigbey also pointed to subscription-based funding models adopted by some independent media organisations in other countries, suggesting that Ghana could explore similar approaches to reduce excessive dependence on political and commercial interests.

GH¢10m Media Development Fund not enough

On the proposed GH¢10 million allocation to the Media Development Fund, Dr Ashigbey welcomed the announcement but cautioned that the funding alone would not automatically guarantee the survival of independent journalism.

He called for a sustainable funding framework that would enable credible media organisations to operate independently and support quality reporting.

He also urged citizens to take an active interest in demanding a transparent system that protects the media from political interference and ensures that public support serves the broader national interest.

Dr Ashigbey maintained that the future of independent journalism would require more than political promises, stressing the need for citizens and stakeholders to push for lasting measures that strengthen the media’s ability to hold power accountable.

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed alleged irregularities in the issuance of service passports, including claims that two individuals paid US$29,000 and US$5,000 respectively to secure the official travel documents.

In a phone interview on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Francis Gborglah, Director of Information and Public Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disclosed that the ministry received a complaint on October 8, 2026, concerning a man who allegedly arranged with an officer to obtain a service passport despite knowing that such documents are reserved for eligible government officials assigned official duties.

According to him, following the complaint, a committee was established on October 13,2026 to investigate the matter.
He revealed that the investigation uncovered an incident involving the alleged passport arrangement, leading to the interdiction of those implicated and their referral to the police for further investigations.

Gborglah further disclosed that the ministry received two separate petitions from individuals claiming to have paid US$29,000 and US$5,000 respectively in connection with the acquisition of service passports.
He explained that the ministry has so far identified 10 individuals who should not have been issued service passports since 2023 and have been confiscated.
He explained that, four passports of such were issued in 2023 alone and have therefore notified their foreign partners to disregard the affected travel documents.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry maintained that the alleged irregularities did not begin under the current administration, stressing that the emerging revelations have prompted officials to revisit previous records to establish the full facts.

Gborglah emphasized that the ministry is determined to uncover the circumstances surrounding the questionable issuance of service passports and ensure that the appropriate actions are taken.
The revelations come amid growing public concerns over the alleged abuse of Ghana’s official travel documents and the need for accountability in their issuance.