By Collins Sarkodieh 
Former Head of Information and Public Affairs at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., Kofi Tonto, has strongly rejected attempts to link him to an alleged nineteen million dollar fraudulent scheme at the mission.
In an official public statement released on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Tonto clarified that an eight hundred dollar payment cited in a forensic audit was a legitimate child benefit package.
He explained that the embassy made the payment in July 2021 following the birth of his daughter in January 2021 under an established welfare policy for diplomatic staff.
Tonto emphasized that the child benefit practice predated his tenure and applied across the board, noting that twenty eight other embassy staff members received similar welfare payments for major life events.
The clarification follows a comprehensive forensic audit of the Washington embassy covering operations between 2019 and 2025.
The Auditor General report revealed that unauthorized passport processing, visa fees, and mailing charges generated over twenty-one million dollars, leaving a massive financial gap.
Tonto pointed out that despite mentioning his child benefit, the official audit report did not list him as a person of interest or recommend him for investigation.
He stressed that he neither solicited the child benefit nor determined the funding source, making it completely unreasonable to connect his legitimate support payment to major financial irregularities.
Addressing his former duties, Tonto stated that his role remained strictly focused on media relations, public diplomacy, and strategic communication during his service from March 2019 to July 2021.
He confirmed that all compensation, allowances, and refunds he received were bona fide payments disbursed through longstanding administrative procedures.
Tonto clarified that he had zero oversight over embassy financial management, revenue collection systems, or decisions regarding opening and closing bank accounts.
His detailed response brings needed clarity to public discussions surrounding the Washington mission, reassuring citizens that legitimate staff welfare benefits should not be confused with systemic financial misconduct.
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