The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is in the process of rehabilitating all old properties of the state and purchasing new ones for missions abroad.
The Deputy Minister-designate for the Ministry, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, who disclosed this, said the move formed part of the new paradigm shift to give befitting status to Ghana’s missions abroad.
Answering questions at his vetting before the Appointments Committee of Parliament, the nominee indicated that the country’s property at Highgate in London had been refurbished with another undergoing rehabilitation.
“All over the world, quite a good number of our properties, including residencies are undergoing rehabilitation or being purchased outright,” he noted and added that the funds were drawn from the $50 million secured during the NDC administration.
“I am briefed that currently, the Minister is working on a second tranche to raise another fund to tackle other properties which the $50 million won’t be able to attend to,” Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong continued.
Passport Acquisition
On passport acquisition, he said the Ministry in the last four years had streamlined the acquisition of passports in the country by opening passport application centres across the country and mentioned that one had been opened in Wa and another in the Northern Region.
He indicated that the Ministry had Passport Application Centres (PAC) in all the old regions, apart from the Upper East Region and added that there were plans to open one soon in Bolgatanga, the regional capital.
Taking the members of the committee into the process of passport application, the Deputy Minister-designate said, “Anyone from the Upper West Region should not come to Accra for passport acquisition. He needs to go to Wa. After you have applied online, you go to the Wa application centre and your biometric details are taken and the processes are continued.”
“There will be no need for the person having to travel to Accra. At least with the new system in place and passport application centres opened, it is now easier for the acquisition of passports,” he intimated.
He added, “Also, there are premium centres. If someone wants a quick service, that person can go to Accra, Kumasi or Tamale where he will get a premium service because the acquisition process is expedited. ”
Ghanaians Abroad
He stated that Ghanaians abroad could also easily apply and acquire passports and visas and praised officers in foreign missions for their hard work and dedication.
“I want to put on record that our officers in foreign missions are doing fantastic jobs. Having to deal with Ghanaians abroad is not that easy.”
“But with the system that we have in place, one can apply for a passport online and then you are given an appointment. You pick up the slot when you are ready to come to the passport office for the mission to have your biometrics.”
“It has been streamlined that you don’t have to come there to make payment. You can do so online. With visas, it is the same [process] but you have to physically come to the Mission to submit your form or passport to get your visa,” he explained.
The nominee pointed out that there are occasions people want to travel at short notice and they want to be given some special services and added that such arrangement depends on the exigencies, time and availability of slots for the services to be provided.
SDGs Targets
Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong was also hopeful that Ghana could still achieve some of the expected targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regardless of the Covid-19.
“I am still of the view that we will be able to achieve some of the outcomes in the SDGs. Thank God Covid-19 appears to be waning and economies being revived.”
“I am sure with this revival and the right programmes and policies in place, Ghana will definitely achieve some of the expected targets and outcomes.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House