The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced plans to open passport application centers in all 16 regions of Ghana.
“Our plan now is to regionalise and make sure we have passport application centers in all the 16 regions of Ghana.
“We do not currently have plans to have district offices,” he stated while addressing Parliament on Thursday, March 12.
Ablakwa emphasized that ongoing reforms, including 24-hour operations, reduced waiting periods, and courier services for passport delivery, will ensure efficiency without the need for district offices.
“We take the view that the reforms we are carrying out, the delivery, the 24-hour operations, reducing the waiting period and all of that, should suffice once you have regional offices and the courier service will make sure that your passport is delivered to you wherever you are in the region,” he added.
This initiative aims to enhance accessibility and efficiency in the passport application process, reducing the burden on applicants who previously had to travel long distances for services.
Furthermore, the Ghanaian government has announced a reduction in the cost of an ordinary passport, lowering the fee from GHS 500 to GHS 350.
The decision, aimed at making passports more affordable, was revealed by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, during a parliamentary session on March 13, 2025.
“The government recognises concerns about the affordability of the new passport and is committed to ensuring that the cost remains reasonable while maintaining high security standards,” Minister Ablakwa stated.
He further assured that additional measures would be taken to solidify the reduction. “We will in the coming days be presenting an amendment to the fees and charges to ensure that this reduction is approved. That is the new policy position of the Mahama administration,” he added.
