By Hannah Dadzie
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a final recall of Diplomatic and Service Passports issued during the previous administration, warning that failure to comply will lead to cancellation and blacklisting at Ghana’s entry and exit points. The affected individuals must surrender their passports to the Legal and Treaties Bureau of the Ministry by March 17, 2025.
A statement released by the Ministry on Monday, March 10, 2025, said the directive, which follows an earlier order from the Office of the President and an initial public announcement made on January 15, 2025, affects former government officials and individuals who no longer hold official positions.
According to the Ministry, 404 Diplomatic Passports and 387 Service Passports remain unreturned despite an initial recall issued on January 15, 2025.
The categories of individuals required to return their passports include:
• Former Ministers and their spouses
• Former Members of Parliament
• Former members of the Council of State and their spouses
• Former and retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts
• Former Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives
• Officers of State Institutions, Board Chairs, and Members
• Officials associated with the National Cathedral Project
• Former political ambassadors and their dependents
• Businessmen, entrepreneurs, and former government functionaries
The Ministry emphasized that any passports that are not returned by the deadline will be canceled and flagged for seizure at all ports of entry and exit.
This move aims to regulate the use of official travel documents and ensure that only authorized individuals retain them.
Statement below:
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