Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced that every region in Ghana will have a passport application centre by December 2025.
The initiative, which begins with the commissioning of a new centre in Bolgatanga this month, is part of wider reforms aimed at decentralising passport services and easing access for Ghanaians across the country.
The Minister made the disclosure in Accra during a ceremony where diplomatic passports were presented to five distinguished Ghanaians for their contribution to promoting the nation internationally.
According to Hon. Ablakwa, ongoing reforms within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have already significantly improved the passport application process. He highlighted how the introduction of courier delivery has eliminated the need for applicants to travel long distances to collection centers, with many now receiving their passports swiftly.
“The Foreign Affairs Ministry has become very efficient, and Ghanaians are already confirming that now it is a smooth process. They are receiving their passports in record time and do not have to stress”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Despite these improvements, the Minister acknowledged that seven regions remain without passport application centres – an unfortunate service gap that he pledged would be fully addressed before the end of the year.
The commissioning of the Bolgatanga centre will mark the beginning of this expansion, ensuring that by December every region in Ghana has its own facility functional and serving the people. The announcement was made during a ceremony where five Ghanaians were awarded diplomatic passports.
The recipients were travel vlogger Wode Maya, Grammy-nominated reggae artist Rocky Dawuni, broadcaster and entrepreneur Anita Erskine, contemporary visual artist Ibrahim Mahama, and British-Ghanaian entrepreneur Dentaa Amoateng MBE.
Mr. Ablakwa stressed that the decision to honour the five was based solely on merit, with “no lobbying or political influence,” involved. He explained that the Foreign Affairs Ministry was shifting the criteria for diplomatic passports away from traditional limitations that often reserved them for politicians, chiefs, pastors, and diplomats.
Instead, the recognition would now extend to exemplary Ghanaians who have distinguished themselves by “promoting the country positively on the international stage.”
Recognition Beyond Traditional Holders
Speaking at the event, Hon. Ablakwa highlighted the significance of the initiative and what it represents for Ghanaians across various sectors. “This is only the beginning,” the Minister said, noting that the five honourees were chosen purely on merit and for their role in promoting Ghana globally.
He emphasised that the new approach to issuing diplomatic passports was designed to ease travel challenges for such important creatives and professionals as they project the nation beyond its borders.
By awarding diplomatic passports to individuals from creative, entrepreneurial, and cultural fields, the Ministry underscored a broader vision of representation and international engagement.
The Minister noted that the recognition of the five distinguished personalities aligns with the Mahama government’s effort to reframe Ghana’s image through global ambassadors whose work spans music, media, art, and enterprise.
Hon. Ablakwa reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to making passport services more accessible to every Ghanaian, regardless of location. He positioned it as the immediate focus of his office and urged Ghanaians in the deficit regions to be patient as the solution is nigh.
In addition to the passport service getting closer to such applicants, its “accompanying courier delivery system is expected to significantly cut travel times and ease frustrations further associated with access.”
The Minister explained that these reforms were designed to make passport acquisition seamless and efficient, ensuring that applicants not only receive their documents quickly but also benefit from services that align with Ghana’s national values and aspirations.
The new centres, beginning with Bolgatanga, are expected to provide relief for applicants in underserved regions and further enhance public confidence in the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s ability to deliver.
As the reforms continue, the Ministry has reaffirmed its resolve to use innovative solutions and expanded infrastructure to respond to the growing demand for passports. With the full rollout expected to be complete by December, every region in Ghana will soon have access to passport services without the need for long-distance travel.
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