Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has declared that the new program, which will use e-trackable courier delivery to deliver passports to their owners in all 16 regions of Ghana, will start today, Monday, April 28.
“This initiative aims to eliminate the frustration that applicants experience during the acquisition process,” he explained. More than 70,000 passports have not been picked up as a result of the frustrations, according to Mr. Ablakwa.
In a post on his X page on Sunday, April 27, he said, “There are currently over 70,000 uncollected passports. Frustration makes many passport applicants give up. Our convenient e-trackable delivery via courier across all 16 regions of Ghana, which commences tomorrow [Monday, April 28], will end this nightmare. We are here to serve you.”
As part of new reforms being implemented by the Foreign Affairs ministry, Ghana plans to implement chip-embedded passports starting on April 28, 2025.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa claims that this milestone satisfies international requirements, making Ghana one of the nations to achieve it.
The state-of-the-art travel document is nearly difficult to falsify thanks to its sophisticated security measures, which include nanotechnology and miniature radio frequency identification (RFID) chips. Official production of the first chip-embedded passport is scheduled for April 28, 2025.
“Ghana’s journey with chip-embedded passports began in 2010. The biometric passports were introduced in that year but the aspect of microchip embedded with the holder’s biometric data, including fingerprint and facial recognition was left” the minister said when he announced the roll-out date.
According to him, this “represents a major leap forward in our efforts to ensure the integrity of Ghana’s travel documents and stay ahead of emerging threats.”
To make sure that our passport satisfies the highest requirements for security and authenticity, we have collaborated extensively with both domestic and foreign partners as well as specialists.
“It aligns with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, specifically ICAO Document 9303, which provides guidelines for implementing Machine-Readable Travel Documents (MRTDS) and ePassports. This modernisation effort is designed to enhance border security, reduce identity fraud, and streamline international travel for Ghanaians.“
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said “the era of middlemen and unofficial agents operating within our passport offices is unequivocally over. We strongly advise all citizens to directly interact with our official channels and adhere to established procedures when applying for or renewing their passports. By doing so, citizens can avoid the pitfalls of intermediaries who often exploit and take advantage of unsuspecting applicants, demanding unnecessary fees and creating unnecessary delays.”
The minister stated that he was “pleased to inform you that a 24-hour passport service with door-to-door delivery will be commencing on the 28th of April 2025, to ensure greater convenience, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.”
“Passports for applicants can now be safely delivered to their home. For a smooth delivery, applicants must supply correct addresses and contact information. Secure and dependable passport distribution in Ghana and overseas is ensured by the Ministry through partnerships with trustworthy courier services.
The Ministry is still dedicated to improving all citizens’ access to and effectiveness of passport services.