Firm linked to former Ghana Embassy IT officer received nearly $296,000 for renovation work
A company reportedly owned by a former IT officer of Ghana鈥檚 Embassy in the United States, Fred Kwarteng, received nearly $296,000 for renovation and furnishing works at the ambassador鈥檚 residence. The company, Stefrann LLC, received two payments: $159,043.84 in February 2019 and $136,864 in June 2020. A forensic audit report flagged these payments as a potential conflict of interest because Kwarteng was an embassy employee at the time. The then Chief Treasury Officer, Janet Maku Koranteng, confirmed Kwarteng's ownership of the company to auditors. Citibank, the embassy鈥檚 banker, also raised concerns about questionable invoices, inconsistencies in company details, and the conflict of interest. The audit report concluded that the transaction did not comply with the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 Act 921 or the Foreign Service Regulations, 2019, which prohibit conflicts of interest. Despite Citibank's queries and requests for supporting documents, the embassy proceeded with the payments. Auditors also found discrepancies in the company's registration, noting that companies registered as STEFRAN LLC existed, but not STEFRANN LLC, the name used for payments. The Auditor-General has recommended the recovery of the amount from the key actors and stronger due diligence on vendors. Kwarteng served as the embassy鈥檚 ICT officer from November 2016 until his dismissal in May 2025, reportedly having operational control over the mission鈥檚 digital platforms. The audit report also lin
