The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has outlined an ambitious vision for the ministry, to roll out a 24-hour passport application system.
He began by emphasizing the need for digital transformation, improved migration policies, and better welfare for ministry staff.
Speaking at a ministerial engagement, he detailed key interventions to be implemented, including full digitalization of passport services, integration of biometric data, and a comprehensive migration policy to protect Ghanaians abroad.
One of the critical areas Hon. Ablakwa addressed was the inefficiency and inconvenience in Ghana’s passport acquisition process. He said;
“There has been a great deal of concern by the Ghanaian people that they want passports to processes to be convenient. They want that we work on that. We need to go full digitalization. We need to make it possible for courier services to submit passports to people. We shouldn’t have a situation where thousands of passports remain uncollected.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs
To resolve this issue, the minister advocated for the integration of courier services to ensure that passports are delivered directly to applicants, eliminating long queues and uncollected documents at passport offices.
He also raised the inefficiency of redundant biometric data collection across different government agencies, calling for a unified biometric system.
“If the government has your biometrics, why is everybody still collecting biometrics? DVLA, SSNIT, passport office, and health services—everybody is still collecting biometrics every day. It happens only in Ghana. It has to stop. We must integrate.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs
To address this, Hon. Ablakwa disclosed that he has initiated discussions with the Minister of Communications and the National Identification Authority (NIA). He said;
“That is why I’ve spoken to the Communications Minister to help us with technical staff from his ministry and the NIA so that we can integrate. If your biometrics are in the system, why should you have to always [give Biometrics] if you want to renew your passport or get a passport, do your biometrics again? It’s a total waste of man hours.”
“We also want the passport office to become a 24-hour passport office that operates round the clock. And we’ll be piloting that as we look at moving all our missions to a 24-hour working period.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs
He aligned this initiative with President John Mahama’s broader vision of a 24-hour economy, stating that expanding working hours will increase productivity and job creation.
Migration and the Protection of Ghanaians Abroad
Beyond passport reforms, Hon. Ablakwa emphasized the plight of Ghanaian migrants who face exploitation and abuse in foreign countries. To address this, he announced;
“The second committee we shall set up is the Migration and Welfare of Ghanaians in the Diaspora Committee. You heard me say that the Foreign Ministry should help to address the unemployment crisis. But even more importantly, we have too many of our compatriots who have been exploited. Their dignity is violated violently, particularly in some regions.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Although he refrained from mentioning specific regions due to the presence of the media, he highlighted the dire conditions of many Ghanaian workers abroad, stating;
“It’s all because it’s not a regulated space. You have unscrupulous private agencies who take advantage of them. When they arrive in those destinations, they seize their passports. They collect more than 50% of their earnings, and they just exploit them and treat them sharply.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs
To address this crisis, Hon. Ablakwa proposed bilateral government-to-government agreements that would ensure Ghanaian workers abroad receive protection, fair wages, and dignified treatment.
He cited successful migration partnerships by countries such as Cuba and Indonesia, which have leveraged organized labor exports for economic gain. He cited;
“Look at what countries like Cuba, like Indonesia have achieved, taking advantage of migration policies and having partnerships with us. And you should look at the numbers. We, for example [with] Cuba, we pay them so much every year because of the doctors that they bring in. Why can’t we also begin to get some good FDI from these arrangements?”
“That is a committee I’m passionate about, and I would want us to hit the ground running with those two committees. We’ll be giving them a month’s mandate to report so that we can immediately roll out the interventions that we all want to see.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Prioritizing the Welfare of Foreign Affairs Staff
Hon. Ablakwa concluded by reaffirming his commitment to the welfare of Foreign Affairs Ministry staff, drawing from his extensive advocacy as Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee for eight years.
One of his key welfare policies will be restoring duty waivers for returning diplomats and ministry staff, a long-standing benefit that had been removed.
His remarks signal a new direction for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, one that embraces digitalization, improved migration policies, and enhanced staff welfare to better serve Ghanaians both at home and abroad.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has laid out a bold and transformative agenda for Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
By pushing for full digitalization of passport services, biometric data integration, and a 24-hour working system, he aims to improve efficiency and create jobs. His commitment to regulating migration and protecting Ghanaian workers abroad demonstrates a proactive approach to addressing human rights abuses and economic opportunities.
Furthermore, his dedication to enhancing the welfare of Foreign Affairs Ministry staff reflects his longstanding advocacy for their well-being. With the establishment of key committees and a clear roadmap, Hon. Ablakwa is poised to reshape the ministry to better serve the Ghanaian people.
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