GIFEC supports Passport Office with computers, scanners
The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has presented 75 computers to the Passport Office to aid the migration to online passport acquisition before the end of the year.
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The computers, together with 75 pieces of uninterrupted power systems and 10 scanners, cost GH¢233,625.
The Administrator of GIFEC, Mr Kobby Acheampong, presenting the items, said the support to the Passport Office was to facilitate the easy acquisition of passports.
The move to online passport system comes at a time when many have complained about the bureaucracy associated with passport acquisition and the role of middlemen who have taken over passport acquisition, with the collusion of officials.
Eliminate middlemen
In that regard, Mr Acheampong said, “GIFEC believes that in supporting the Passport Office, we will help make the process of passport acquisition a seamless one by eliminating the disturbing role of middlemen, also known as ‘goro’ boys, who parade themselves as passport contractors and often end up duping unsuspecting applicants.”
He observed that the acquisition of passports had become burdensome to most applicants, as the average Ghanaian spent several weeks to acquire a passport.
“The problem must be eliminated as a matter of urgency in order to restore confidence in the system,” he said.
Mr Acheampong said the onus was on the Passport Office to develop a foolproof system that ensured that applicants could be guaranteed dates for the issuance of their passports to eliminate the role of middlemen.
Donation is timely
The Director of Passports, Mr Alexander Grant Ntirikwa, said the donation had come in handy, particularly so when the Passport Office was about to start the online application for passports.
He said the donation would speed up the process of online registration and also eliminate those who posed as staff of the office and always duped people.
Background
The new system was announced in September this year.
Prospective passport applicants can apply for passports online by the end of the year, after the Passport Office had introduced an electronic system to help do away with passport racketeering.
Currently, the office is in talks with some banks towards payment for the acquisition of passports online.
Passport centres
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is expected to open application centres in Cape Coast, Wa, Koforidua and Bolgatanga in the near future.
In a related development, GIFEC has presented 35 computers and accessories to three schools in Accra — the Yamin International School, Great Saqafa and the Oral Roberts International School.
