Passport fee should stay within GH¢300 limit - Foreign Affairs Ministry

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has expressed deep concern regarding reports of extortion and mistreatment faced by certain passport applicants at various Passport Application Centers (PACs).

To address this pressing issue, the Ministry has established channels for affected applicants to report such incidents for prompt resolution.

Applicants who encounter mistreatment or extortion are encouraged to provide detailed information, including the names of officers and PAC locations, through the following communication channels: [email protected], 024-091-3284, 024-079-3072, 020-455-2056, 020-455-2750, 026-804-9031, and 026-979-4871.

The Ministry emphasized that legitimate passport applications are processed through the official passport application portal, passport.mfa.gov.gh. Payments for approved processing fees are exclusively made through the ghana.gov.gh platform, with fees set at GH¢100.00 for the 32-page booklet and GH¢150.00 for the 48-page booklet. Importantly, all payments are electronic and not in cash.

As part of preventive measures, the Ministry announced that all officers at the PACs will be required to wear name tags, enhancing transparency and accountability. The public is cautioned against engaging with individuals who cannot present proper identification through issued name tags, as these intermediaries, commonly referred to as goro boys, are unauthorized.

Applicants are strongly advised to adhere to the official channels for passport acquisition and avoid involving unauthorized intermediaries in the application process. The Ministry underscored its commitment to improving the system by enforcing its policy of annual rotation for PAC officers. Officers who have exceeded a year of service will be promptly replaced.

It's crucial to note that regular applications submitted through PACs do not incur additional charges. However, applicants have the option to utilize Premium PACs, with an added fee of GH¢150.00 payable in cash at the Premium Centers for their specialized services.

Background

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, expressed her concern over the prevalent cases of extortion and corruption within the Passport Office. Her visit on August 14 highlighted her astonishment at the unjust treatment faced by applicants from certain staff members.

In a 2021 report by the UNODC, passport agency officials were identified among public officials who accept the highest number of bribes in Ghana. A significant portion, twenty-nine percent, of passport officials were implicated in accepting bribes, averaging GHS392 each.

The Minister emphasized the crucial role of the Passport Office in facilitating international travel and stressed the need for staff to uphold professionalism, work ethics, and respect when dealing with applicants.

The Ministry urges the public's cooperation in addressing this pressing issue and fostering a more transparent and efficient passport application process.

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