A Ghanaian recruitment agent, Nana Akwasi Agyemang-Prempeh, has been exposed for allegedly scamming multiple people by selling fake Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) for non-existent jobs in the UK.
A BBC undercover investigation revealed that he had charged individuals thousands of pounds for care worker positions that turned out to be fraudulent.
Several people who had paid Agyemang-Prempeh for job placements told the BBC they lost tens of thousands of pounds after discovering that the CoS documents they received were mere replicas of real certificates issued by legitimate care companies.
Following the clampdown on fraudulent practices in the UK’s care sector, Agyemang-Prempeh reportedly shifted his operations to the construction industry, another sector that permits the recruitment of foreign workers.
Undercover footage captured by the BBC showed him offering CoS for construction jobs through a company he set up and successfully obtained a sponsorship licence from the UK Home Office.
When a journalist posing as a UK-based Ugandan businessman inquired about bringing Ugandan construction workers to the UK, Agyemang-Prempeh confirmed it was possible, but at a hefty price of £42,000 ($54,000) for three people.
“People are now diverting to IT,” he told the undercover journalist, explaining that recruitment agents were exploring other industries as the UK government tightened regulations in the care sector.
Between July 2022 and December 2024, the UK government revoked over 470 sponsorship licences in the care sector, affecting the recruitment of more than 39,000 medical professionals and care workers from overseas.
Many of these fraudulent cases involved agents who exploited vulnerable job seekers, including Ghanaians, promising them legitimate employment in exchange for exorbitant fees.
Agyemang-Prempeh later requested a down payment for the Certificates of Sponsorship, but the BBC did not proceed with the payment.
Following the investigation, the UK Home Office revoked his sponsorship licence, cutting off his ability to recruit foreign workers.
When confronted by the BBC, Agyemang-Prempeh defended himself, claiming that he had been deceived by other agents and had unknowingly sold fake CoS documents.
In response to the investigation, the UK Home Office issued a statement asserting that it had taken “robust new action against shameless employers who abuse the visa system” and would “ban businesses who flout UK employment laws from sponsoring overseas workers.”
The BBC has previously uncovered similar fraudulent visa schemes targeting job seekers from Ghana, Kerala (India), and international students in the UK seeking employment in the care sector.
In November 2024, the UK government announced stricter measures to combat “rogue” employers exploiting the system.
Additionally, from April 9, 2025, care providers in England will be required to prioritize hiring international care workers already residing in the UK before recruiting from overseas.
With additional files from BBC
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
