By Hannah Dadzie
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced a review of the passport fee structure, proposing a reduction in fees for ordinary citizens.
This reduction will be subsidised by increased charges for expedited and premium services targeted at frequent travelers and business professionals.
Speaking during a working visit to the Passport Head Office in Accra, Mr Ablakwa stated that the ministry intends to seek parliamentary approval for an amendment to facilitate the downward review. He lamented that the existing fees are burdensome for ordinary Ghanaians and emphasised the need to ease their financial burden.
Mr Ablakwa, visited the passport Head Office at Ridge and Accra Passport Application Centre at Tema Station. This marks his first official visit to the Passport Office since assuming office. The visit was aimed at assessing operations and identifying key areas for improvement in passport acquisition and service delivery.
During the visit, the Minister emphasised the critical role the Passport Office plays in national security and identity verification. He reaffirmed government’s commitment to reducing passport processing times, expanding passport application centres nationwide, and fully digitising the system. Outlining a series of reforms aimed at streamlining the process and improving accessibility for all Ghanaians, Mr Ablakwa said the government would reevaluate the fee structure to make passport acquisition more affordable, especially for underprivileged groups.
“We are saying that passport application fees have become too expensive for ordinary Ghanaians. Ghanaians are complaining.
When we went around the country, they told us that they would want to see us do something about passport fees. So we want to take a second look at the structure, and what we want to do is to make sure that for ordinary Ghanaians, we reduce the fees, make it more affordable,” Mr Ablakwa indicated
“I believe that there are even some categories of Ghanaians who should be able to acquire a passport free of charge. For example, students who are going on scholarship, brilliant but needy students. He later engaged staff to discuss their challenges and gather input on the proposed reforms,” the Minister added.
The Minister engaged with staff to discuss their challenges and gather input on the proposed reforms. Mr Ablakwa expressed appreciation for the staff’s dedication and acknowledged the challenges they face in vetting applicants and maintaining the integrity of Ghanaian passports.
“I do not want to be an armchair minister who is only relying on reports and relying on handing over notes. I want to get to the ground and see how things are really working, how Ghanaians are being served, and how our colleagues who work in these departments are delivering on their mandate,” the Foreign Affairs Minister noted.
“Do not think that we do not appreciate your sacrifices. We do not appreciate your work. We really do, with your support working together hand in glove to achieve President Mahama’s vision for resetting Ghana and resetting the passport department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so be fully gladdened that the work that you do here is appreciated by all of us, and we know that it requires a great deal of circumspection for what you go through to vet people,” he told staff.
The visit is part of a broader agenda by the government to modernise passport services, eliminate inefficiencies, and improve overall service delivery to Ghanaians at home and abroad.
