At a media briefing on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), the Minister of Foreign Affairs, listed significant accomplishments under Ghana’s ongoing Passport Reforms Program.
The goal of the changes is to make the passport application process more effective, convenient, affordable, and secure for all Ghanaians.
Speaking to the media, the Minister announced the launch of a 24-hour expedited passport application processing service that will cost GH₵2000.
This service is intended to guarantee that applicants who require passports immediately will be able to obtain them without any difficulties.
The Minister also announced that, in accordance with parliamentary permission, the cost of applying for a passport would drop by 30% from GH₵500 to GH₵350 as of November 13, 2025.
He reassured the public that the passport’s quality would not be impacted by the pricing drop.
The government’s commitment to lowering the cost of public services and increasing their accessibility for all citizens is reflected in this decision.
The Minister noted that the ICAO-compliant chip-embedded passport was introduced on April 28, 2025, and revealed that as of November 11, 2025, 215,807 Ghanaians from the country’s sixteen (16) regions had applied for and been granted new passports.
The Ministry has also implemented free nationwide passport delivery to applicants’ doorsteps in an effort to increase convenience.
Additionally, in order to provide applicants with round-the-clock assistance, the Passport Head Office has been running around the clock.
He added that candidates may track the status of their applications in real time, from approval to printing and delivery, thanks to an electronic tracking system.
Additionally, he declared that the Ministry had effectively resolved a backlog of more than 40,000 passport applications, re-establishing public trust in the provision of passport services.
According to him, passport applications are now handled in less than 15 days thanks to the reform.
The Minister said that Ghana had obtained eleven (11) new visa waiver agreements, highlighting Ghana’s improved international mobility.
With this breakthrough, Ghanaian passport holders can now travel to forty-two (42) countries without a visa.
He went on to say that the Ministry is committed to upholding stricter security measures to safeguard Ghanaian passport integrity and prevent non-citizens from abusing them.
The Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to decentralising passport services and stated that work are on to guarantee the establishment of Passport Application Centres (PACs) in each of the nation’s sixteen (16) regions by the end of 2025.
On the issue of limiting the activities of intermediaries, the Minister stated that the Ministry, in collaboration with security agencies, had successfully dismantled their operations to end the exploitation of applicants and assured that any individual found culpable would be held accountable.
The Minister emphasised the government’s commitment to continuing the transformation of passport services to improve efficiency, security, convenience, and affordability for all Ghanaians.
Source: newsthemegh.com