The John Dramani Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has been rocked by a series of scandals and controversies since assuming office in January 2025, with several incidents raising questions about accountability, transparency and the management of public institutions.
From the recent allegation of the sale of Service Passports, the controversy over the 2026 World Cup visa arrangements, to concerns surrounding GoldBod’s operations, the National Lottery Authority’s contract with KGL and irregularities uncovered in public institutions, the Mahama government has had to contend with mounting public scrutiny.
Some of the scandals have resulted in investigations, suspensions and calls for prosecution, while others have ignited heated political debates between the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the largest opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Meanwhile, as questions about accountability continue to dominate Ghana’s public discourse, GHnow takes nine major scandals that have rocked the John Mahama administration.
See the scandals below:
- Diplomatic and Service passport for sale scheme
The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, alleged that diplomatic passports were being sold for between US$10,000 and US$50,000.
The Minority in Parliament raised concerns over an alleged passport-for-sale scheme involving officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office, claiming that about 300 Ghanaians have travelled to Europe and other destinations using Diplomatic and Service Passports obtained through the arrangement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs later uncovered an alleged scheme involving the irregular issuance of Service Passports to unqualified individuals in exchange for money.
Ten passports were reportedly issued irregularly, with petitions alleging payments of US$29,000 and US$5,000.
Two officials, including Acting Director of Passports Mahama Yahaya Amantana, were interdicted on November 8, 2026.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has since commenced investigations into the alleged passport for sale scheme.
- 2026 World Cup visa scandal
The 2. 2026 World Cup visa scandal centres on claims that individuals associated with the NSA collected substantial sums of money from members of the public in exchange for facilitating visas to enable applicants to travel to the United States and Canada for the tournament.
The Minority later raised allegations that approximately US$623,000 was collected from individuals who were promised assistance in securing US and Canadian visas for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
National Sports Authority Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah was suspended following allegations that he received US$56,000 in connection with the arrangement. He has denied wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, Kofi Adams, the Sports Minister, has distanced himself from the 2026 World Cup visa scandal, accusing TRIBE Culture Fest of defrauding individuals who paid for assistance to secure visas.
Also, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama over what he describes as a secretive investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup visa acquisition process.
Ekow Assafuah disclosed that he had boycotted an invitation to appear before the committee established by the President, citing concerns about its independence, transparency and credibility.
The Old Tafo MP disclosed that his decision was based on concerns about the independence and credibility of the committee.
He argued that the matter should instead be investigated by an independent commission of inquiry.
- GH¢49.7 million South Africa evacuation expenditure controversy
The government’s expenditure of approximately GH¢49.7 million on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa following xenophobic attacks attracted scrutiny.
The Minority questioned discrepancies in the number of evacuees and the expenditure. Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa rejected claims of financial wrongdoing and provided supporting expenditure records.
The youth wing of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) some days ago took to the streets of Accra to protest against what it describes as a lack of accountability in the South Africa evacuation.
The demonstration, dubbed ‘Yɛgye Yɛ Sika’, saw party supporters gather to demand answers from the government over the reported GH¢16.4 million discrepancy in the expenditure on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa.
- GH¢22 billion Gold-for-Reserves losses
Some months ago, the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme became a major political controversy after reported losses of approximately US$1.7 billion, equivalent to GH¢22 billion, in 2025.
The NPP Minority in parliament questioned the management of the programme and raised concerns about GoldBod’s involvement.
However, the GoldBod CEO, Sammy Gyamfi, disputed attempts to attribute the losses to his institution, maintaining that the Bank of Ghana recorded the losses.
- National Lottery Authority–KGL contract controversy
The multimillion-cedi contract between the National Lottery Authority (NLA) and KGL Technology Limited came under intense public scrutiny following an investigation by The Fourth Estate.
The investigation raised concerns about the legality of the agreement, its revenue-sharing arrangements, commission payments, exclusivity provisions and the potential financial implications for the state.
The revelations sparked public debate over the transparency and management of the partnership, prompting calls for accountability and a presidential review of the contract.
The President tasked the Attorney-General and the Minister for Finance with establishing the committee to review the agreement.
In April 2026, the government disclosed that the committee had concluded that the existing NLA-KGL deal was not financially advantageous to the Republic.
President Mahama subsequently directed that the agreements be renegotiated to secure better financial benefits for Ghana.
To date, The Fourth Estate has revealed that there is an apparent administrative stand-off involving three institutions under the John Mahama government which have given different responses over its request for the full report of a committee established to review the controversial contract between the National Lottery Authority (NLA) and KGL Technology Limited.
The conflicting responses have raised questions about the whereabouts of the report, with the MFWA being referred from one institution to another in what appears to be an official information-access impasse.
The Fourth Estate detailed that the Attorney-General’s Office directed the requester to the Presidency; the Presidency then referred it to the Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Finance later stated it does not hold the report and sent it back to the Presidency.
- Multiple drug shipment busts linked to Ghana
The Mahama government has come under scrutiny following a series of international drug seizures involving consignments allegedly linked to the country’s ports and airports.
Ghana’s drug concerns intensified after French authorities intercepted approximately 3.9 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a container linked to Tema Port in September 2026.
Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has raised alarm over what he describes as eight major transnational drug seizures linked to Ghana between April 2025 and September 2026.
On JoyNews’ Newsfile on September 26, 2026, the Assin South MP cited several interceptions, including 4.5 tonnes of cocaine linked to Tema Port and seized in Amsterdam in June 2025, as well as subsequent seizures in Antwerp.
Rev. John Ntim Fordjour also mentioned the interception of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine in Australia in June 2026.
The MP further questioned the effectiveness of security measures despite President John Dramani Mahama’s meeting with security officials at Jubilee House.
According to him, the total quantity involved in the reported interceptions within 18 months amounted to 12.7 tonnes, raising concerns about Ghana’s vulnerability to international drug trafficking networks.
Just a couple of weeks later, a Syrian national was busted in Lebanon after arriving from Ghana with 40 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine concealed in two bags at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Reports suggest the suspect was apprehended shortly after arriving on a flight from Accra International Airport, following what reports describe as surveillance that began before he departed from Ghana and continued until he arrived in Lebanon.
According to reports, officers from Lebanon’s General Security monitored the passenger from the moment he disembarked from the aircraft until he collected his two bags.
- GH¢5.26 billion public financial irregularities
A 2025 Auditor-General’s report reportedly uncovered financial irregularities amounting to more than GH¢5.26 billion across government institutions under the John Mahama government.
The audit report detailed that Ghana’s public finances suffered a major setback in 2025, with tax-related losses accounting for over 91 per cent of the total figure.
The audit contained in the Auditor-General’s Report on the Public Accounts of Ghana: Ministries, Departments and other Agencies (MDAs) for the year ended December 31, 2025, paints a grim picture of mounting financial leakages across ministries, departments and government agencies.
According to the audit report, total irregularities reached GH¢5,266,315,079 in 2025, the highest figure recorded in the past five years, which is more than double the amount reported in 2024.
The findings included tax, cash, payroll, contract and other irregularities.
Tax irregularities emerged as the biggest source of concern, soaring to GH¢4.8 billion, with the report also flagging an additional US$154,976 in tax-related irregularities, further widening the losses.
- GH¢60 deductions from National Service allowances
Also, some months ago, National Service personnel raised concerns after GH¢60 was deducted from their monthly allowances to fund a training programme involving the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) and Zeus Atlas.
The National Service Authority disclosed that approximately GH¢4.2 million had been deducted.
However, following the complaints, the programme was suspended, and the NSA Board ordered the deductions to stop.
- Obuasi SHTS headmaster controversy
The allegations of sexual abuse involving female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School have sparked nationwide outrage and raised questions about the handling of students’ complaints.
The controversy intensified after an investigative report alleged that several complaints against headmaster Zakaria Abdulai, who is also a member of the ruling NDC government.
The case has also drawn scrutiny over alleged political interference and institutional inaction, prompting calls for accountability and stronger safeguards for students. Abdulai has denied the allegations, which remain subject to investigation.
The controversy centres on Zakaria Abdulai, the school’s headmaster, who has been accused of sexual harassment, assault and rape involving about 19 female students.
The Obuasi headmaster case has also attracted political attention, with the NPP Women’s Wing staging a demonstration in Obuasi on November 6 under the theme “Justice for Our Girls”, demanding accountability and stronger protection for female students
Other controversies include:
- Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s suspension, which generated considerable debate over judicial independence, constitutional procedure and the removal process.
Meanwhile, Sammi Awuku, the Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, has revealed that the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has identified about 35 alleged scandals involving the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to Sammi Awuku, the NPP intends to expose the NDC’s 35 scandals before the 2028 general election.
To conclude, the series of scandals has placed the Mahama administration under considerable public scrutiny.
While some of the allegations remain under investigation, others have triggered public criticism and political disagreements.
However, as the Mahama administration continues its tenure, how it handles these scandals by holding individuals accountable where wrongdoing is established will be crucial in shaping public confidence in its leadership and their fortunes in the 2028 election, with the NPP and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia lurking in the shadows to pounce on the scandals and the scandals which could serve as political ammunition for them.
