Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
The Minister for foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced the expansion of mobile passport services to assist applicants with limited mobility, beginning with Hajj pilgrims, and the launch of a home delivery service in partnership with two courier companies.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series, he highlighted several improvements by the Ministry, including the 24-hour passport operation system.
This, he said has reduced the processing time of passport and fast-tracked delivery within 15 days anywhere in the world.
“I had the honour of personally delivering the first batch of passports under this service to applicants at their workplaces and homes, symbolising our new approach of bringing government closer to the people,” Mr. Ablakwa told the press.
He further announced the progress in Ghana’s passport reform efforts, mentioning that about 161,824 chip embedded passports have been printed since the new system was introduced, with 122,895 already delivered to applicants on September 10, 2025.
He again mentioned that the rollout of the next-generation biometric passports on April 28, 2025, is a notable milestone in the Ministry’s digital transformation agenda.
Mr. Ablakwa added that the next generation passport has advanced security features than the previous version which will meet the highest international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“These next-generation passports boast over 175 advanced security features, up from 32 in the previous version, and meet the highest international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO),” he said.
He stressed that these advancements improve the credibility of the nation’s security on the global front.
The Minister emphasised that these reforms have significantly addressed longstanding delays in passport processing and reflect the government’s broader commitment to efficiency, inclusivity, and digital innovation in public service delivery.
BY Florence Asamoah Adom