Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has disclosed that some 36 out of 66 missions abroad are now able to process biometric passports for Ghanaians.

Addressing parliament today, December 7, 2021, she noted that in the ministry’s mandate of promoting and protecting the interests of Ghanaian citizens abroad since 2017, it has introduced a number of interventions aimed at improving the delivery of consular services, that is visas and passports by its diplomatic missions. Madam Botchwey indicated that her outfit is extending biometric passport applications to missions abroad.

Her comments follow a question posed by North Tongu MP, Okudzeto Ablakwa, on measures taken by the ministry to resolve widespread complaints from Ghanaian passport and visa applicants abroad on US and UK mission’s unresponsiveness and alleged poor consular relations.

“We are extending biometric passport applications to our missions abroad. As part of the efforts to decentralize passport application services and make it easier for our compatriots abroad to acquire Ghanaian passports, my ministry, since the year 2020, has commenced a program to equip all Ghanaian missions abroad to enable them receive and process biometric passports. I am happy to report as a result of this initiative 36 out of the total 66 missions are now able to process biometric passports”.
Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

In a bid to cover the remaining 30 missions, the foreign minister indicated that plans are ongoing to ensure that Ghanaians abroad can apply for passports in any of “our diplomatic missions” without having to travel to Accra to do so.

Online application system

Touching on the online application systems, Madam Botchwey revealed that under the government digitization agenda, her ministry has rolled out an online integrated system for passport and visa applicants in missions abroad.

Based on this new arrangement, she noted that applicants are required to book appointment through an online platform and report at the mission’s scheduled appointment dates in order to be attended to by consular officers.

“Through the online system, missions abroad are now able to handle passports and visa services in a more efficient and reliable way, thereby, reducing the turnaround time for providing these services”.
Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

On the other hand, Madam Botchwey asserted that the system makes processing of passports very convenient and comfortable for “our compatriots” to access consular services abroad without having to go through much hassle and frustration.

“Indeed, in the case of our mission in London, a chatroom service has been introduced which makes it possible for applicants to ask questions on issues of concern and to channel their complaints about consular services”.
Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey

In 2017, Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa via a statement revealed that despite diplomatic missions being opened in Ghana, there was a “blot” that threatened to affect the good relations Ghana enjoys with some of these nations with diplomatic missions in Ghana. According to him, Ghanaian visa applicants were subjected to “shabby and dehumanizing treatment” on a daily basis coupled with “extortionist conduct” on the part of some of these embassies.

He urged parliament to consider all available options at its disposal to seek reforms in how these embassies treat Ghanaian citizens.