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Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced a special bonus for staff of the Passport Administration following the institution’s recognition as the least corrupt and most transformed public institution in a recent Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) report.
Mr Ablakwa made the announcement during a working visit to the Passport Head Office, where he congratulated management and staff for what he described as their impressive performance.
He said all Passport Administration staff would receive the special bonus next week in recognition of their output and the reforms implemented at the institution.
According to the Minister, the government will continue with what he described as “radical reforms” in passport administration, with emphasis on integrity, professionalism, innovation, client satisfaction and excellence.
Mr Ablakwa also highlighted several changes introduced under the government’s “Passport Reset” initiative.
He said Ghana now has a chip-embedded passport with enhanced security features, while passport application backlogs have been cleared following the introduction of 24-hour operations.
The Minister said passports are now generally processed within a few working days, and in most cases within 15 days, without the involvement of middlemen or “goro boys.”
He further disclosed that passport processing fees had been reduced by 30%, while courier services had been introduced to facilitate faster delivery at no additional cost.
Other reforms, he said, include same-day passport processing, digital application tracking and enhanced security measures to prevent foreigners from illegally acquiring Ghanaian passports.
Mr Ablakwa added that Passport Application Centres had been established in all 16 regions, describing the development as the first time such nationwide coverage had been achieved in Ghana’s history.
He said the reforms are aimed at making passport services more efficient, accessible and secure for Ghanaians.