The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Friday, 17th July 2026, presented the first batch of replacement passports to victims of the terrible floods that ravaged portions of Accra on Monday, 29th June 2026.
The ceremony, conducted at the Ministry’s facilities in Accra, represented part of a special intervention sponsored by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), to replace, free of charge, passports that were lost or damaged during the crisis.
Presiding over the ceremony on behalf of the Hon.Minister was the Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Khadija Idrissu.
She was supported by the Coordinating Director for Political and Economic Affairs, Ambassador Harold Adlai Agyeman; the Coordinating Director for Multilateral and International Organisations, Ambassador Francis Danti Kotia; and the Head of the Delivery Unit, Ambassador Alexander Grant Ntrakwa.
In her remarks, Ambassador Khadija Idrissu recalled that the Ministry had received about 500 applications for replacement passports after making a public notice on July 3, 2026, urging victims whose passports had been damaged or destroyed by the floods to do so.
She said that all applications were undergoing comprehensive verification to ensure they fulfilled the stated standards and announced that the 100 passports being presented comprised the first batch, with further batches to be issued pending completion of the continuing screening process.
The Chief Director stated that the initiative, undertaken at no cost to recipients as part of the Ministry’s corporate social responsibility, highlighted the Government’s commitment to relieving the burden on citizens affected by the disaster.
She appreciated the Hon.Minister for his leadership and compassion in directing the intervention and also praised the dedication of workers of the Ministry and the Passport Office for working diligently to expedite the processing of the applications.
Ambassador Idrissu further underlined the importance of Ghana’s principles of solidarity, compassion and communal support, saying that the Ministry’s engagement was inspired by the notion that when one Ghanaian suffers, the nation has a collective responsibility to provide support.
She assured applicants whose passports were yet to be issued that processing was proceeding and that every effort was being made to complete the remaining batches as swiftly as possible.
Mr. Richmond Debrah, speaking on behalf of the recipients, conveyed his sincere gratitude to the Hon. Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ management, and personnel for their prompt and considerate response.
He emphasised that many families had suffered greatly as a result of the floods, including losing important travel documents, and that it would have been difficult for many victims to replace their passports on an individual basis.
He characterised the Ministry’s engagement as a prompt action that showed the government’s dedication to the wellbeing of its residents and gave the beneficiaries hope, confidence, and peace of mind.
In closing, Mr. Debrah expressed sincere gratitude and prayed for God’s sustained strength and direction for the Ministry’s personnel and leadership.
Presenting the first batch of replacement passports demonstrates the Ministry’s dedication to providing responsive public services and its resolve to assist Ghanaians in times of national emergency while making sure that impacted citizens can obtain necessary travel documents again without incurring further costs.
Source: newsthemegh.com