VIDEO: Government considers passport fee increase amidst supply shortages
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is contemplating a raise in passport application fees in the coming days, citing a scarcity of raw materials and equipment needed to meet the surging demand at the passport office.
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The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, underscored the necessity for a fee adjustment, pointing to rising production costs and the current affordability compared to other West African countries.
He highlighted ongoing discussions with Parliament to determine and finalize the approved fees.
Mr. Ampratwum-Sarpong expressed concern that Ghanaians currently pay $8, while citizens of neighbouring countries shell out approximately $40 for the same service.
Plans are underway to introduce chip-embedded passports in the second quarter of 2024 to bolster security in alignment with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
“Liberia charges $50, we charge $8, meaning we have to subsidize every passport. So the money to buy the printers is used to subsidize the passports… And also, we are thinking of upgrading our passport from biometric to chip-embedded. So the chip-embedded version is going to cost more. If we continue charging at $8, we will continue to face the problems that we are having at the passport office… So we have to raise the fees,” he said.
Watch the video below;
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration plans to raise passport application fees due to a shortage of raw materials and equipment, aiming to meet the high demand at the passport office.#CitiNewsroom pic.twitter.com/tIhfY4j5q4
— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) November 28, 2023
