The government is set to reduce the price of passport acquisition from GH¢500 to GH¢350 to make it affordable for citizens who may wish to acquire the travel document.
Responding to questions on the floor of Parliament in Accra yesterday, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the ministry, acting on the instruction of President John Dramani Mahama, will later this year slash the price of the ordinary passport, a 32-page booklet’s price by 25 per cent.
He indicated that he would be presenting to Parliament in the coming days an amendment to the fees and charges to ensure that the reduction is approved by the Legislature.
The legislator said the government recognised the concerns raised by the public on the affordability of new passports, saying the price reduction was a demonstrated commitment by the government to “ensuring that the cost remains reasonable, while maintaining high security standards” and making it more accessible to all Ghanaians.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu said a passport reform committee had been established “to study and review the contract that was signed between the ministry and the private partners and will make recommendations for consideration”.
The minister added that all partners working on the review of the contract are meeting today to conclude their work. He said once the review of the contract was concluded, a phased rollout would be implemented to allow a smooth transition, ensuring that holders of existing passports can continue to use them until they expiry.
Passport service
Mr Ablakwa also told Parliament that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) would introduce a 24-hour passport service with door-to-door delivery to ensure greater convenience, efficiency and customer satisfaction.
By introducing the innovative policy, he said applicants can now apply at any time, including outside regular working hours and have their passports delivered securely to their doorstep; thereby, eliminating the need for in-person collection.
On the chip-embedded passport launched by the immediate past government, the sector minister asserted that it “aligns with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, specifically ICAO Document 9303 which provides guidelines for implementing Machine Readable Travel Documents and e-passports”.
He said by next month, Ghanaians should expect a seamless transition from the current passport to a chip-embedded passport. He argued that this modernisation effort was designed to enhance border security, reduce identity fraud and streamline international travel for Ghanaian citizens.
Digital services
The Foreign Affairs minister also stated that the MFA was “integrating an online passport application, payment and appointment booking system to allow citizens to initiate their applications from anywhere, reducing congestion at passport offices”.
He emphasised that a passport tracking system would be introduced to keep applicants informed about the progress of their applications.
Source: www.graphic.com.gh
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