Chip-embedded passports : Gov't to sanction officials who delay delivery
Passport officials will be sanctioned if they fail to deliver chip-embedded passports within 15 days, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced.
The measure is part of a set of reforms introduced by the government to modernise Ghana’s passport issuance system.
Mr Ablakwa disclosed on his Facebook page on Sunday, April 27, 202,5, that the reforms are aimed at improving efficiency and accountability at passport offices across the country.
One of the major changes is the introduction of chip-embedded passports that meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The chip stores biometric information and strengthens the security of the document, making it harder to forge and easier to verify electronically. ICAO has directed that all member countries replace non-chip passports by 2030.
Mr Ablakwa also stated that applicants would not be charged extra for the courier delivery of the new passports. Ghana Post, which has offices across the country, has been appointed as the lead courier service provider. Applicants without home addresses will be able to collect their passports at the nearest Ghana Post office.
Alongside the courier system, a 24-hour passport operations and delivery service is being introduced. It is expected to create new jobs across the sector.
Despite these improvements, passport application fees have been reduced. Mr Ablakwa explained that the cost of the reforms is being covered under a public-private partnership, meaning there is no additional financial burden on the Ghanaian taxpayer.
