The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sanctioned and reported to law enforcement a man implicated in an undercover investigation by The Fourth Estate into alleged irregularities in the acquisition of attestation documents.
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 3, 2026, the Ministry said the man is not a staff member of the Ministry, but was allegedly operating as an unscrupulous middleman taking advantage of members of the public seeking attestation services.
The Ministry said he has been sanctioned by his respective institution, reported to law enforcement for further investigation and possible prosecution, and barred from entering the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement follows a report published by The Fourth Estate on September 2, which investigated the attestation services provided by state institutions.
While commending the investigative outlet for its work, the Ministry said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards middlemen and third-party facilitators involved in obtaining attestation documents.
It said the reported activities were not authorised by the Ministry and stressed its commitment to integrity, transparency and ethical service delivery.
The Ministry also clarified that the attestation process involves several institutions across different arms of government, making coordination among the institutions critical to preventing abuse and improving the credibility of the process.
According to the Ministry, efforts to strengthen that coordination and improve the integrity of attestation services have been ongoing for several months, including before The Fourth Estate’s investigation.
It said it has also been undertaking broader reforms of its consular and attestation services, including plans to make payments cashless and introduce digital platforms that will support the entire attestation process.
The reforms, the Ministry said, are intended to reduce human interaction in the process and minimise opportunities for middlemen to exploit applicants.
The Ministry expressed confidence that the changes would deliver results similar to those achieved through reforms to passport administration in Ghana.
It further reminded the public that the Parliament-approved fee for attestation is GH¢200, which is collected by officials of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, who issue official receipts.
The Ministry warned the public against paying middlemen or using their services, describing the practice as strictly illegal.
It urged anyone with information, enquiries or complaints about attestation services to contact the Ministry on 024 091 3284 or 024 079 3072.
