Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced a special bonus for staff of Ghana’s Passport Administration following the institution’s recognition as the least corrupt and most transformed public institution in a recent Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) report.
Mr. Ablakwa made the announcement during a working visit to the Passport Head Office, where he praised management and staff for their commitment to improving passport services and implementing major reforms.
The Minister disclosed that all Passport Administration employees will receive the special bonus next week in recognition of their outstanding performance and contribution to the ongoing transformation of Ghana’s passport system.
According to Mr. Ablakwa, the government will continue implementing what he described as “radical reforms” aimed at strengthening integrity, professionalism, innovation, customer satisfaction and efficiency within the passport administration.
Major Passport Reforms in Ghana
Mr. Ablakwa highlighted several initiatives introduced under the government’s “Passport Reset” programme.
Among the key reforms is the introduction of chip-embedded Ghanaian passports with enhanced security features designed to improve document integrity and prevent fraud.
He also said the introduction of 24-hour passport operations has helped clear application backlogs, with passports now generally processed within a few working days and, in many cases, in less than 15 days.
The Minister emphasized that applicants can access these services without relying on middlemen or “goro boys,” helping to make the passport application process more transparent and convenient.
Additionally, passport processing fees have been reduced by 30%, while courier services have been introduced to facilitate faster delivery of passports at no additional cost to applicants.
Other reforms include same-day passport processing, digital application tracking and stronger security measures to prevent foreigners from illegally obtaining Ghanaian passports.
Passport Application Centres Expanded Nationwide
Mr. Ablakwa further announced that Passport Application Centres have been established in all 16 regions of Ghana, describing the development as the first time the country has achieved nationwide coverage of passport application services.
The Foreign Affairs Minister said the reforms are part of broader efforts to make Ghana passport services faster, more accessible, secure and customer-friendly.
The recognition by the Ghana Statistical Service, he added, demonstrates the impact of the ongoing reforms and the commitment of Passport Administration staff to delivering improved public services to Ghanaians.
Source: newsthemegh.com