Chip-Embedded Passports: Officials to Face Sanctions for Late Delivery - Ablakwa

Accra, Ghana - 28 April, 2025 - Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has warned passport officials that they will face sanctions if they fail to deliver chip-embedded passports within 15 days.

The move is part of a broader effort to modernize the country's passport issuance system.

Ina  statement on his X account (formerly Twitter), Ablakwa wrote ''Passport officials will be sanctioned if they do not ensure your passport is delivered under 15 days''.

He also noted that under the new reforms, Ghana will introduce chip-embedded passports that meet International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements. The chips will store biometric information, enhancing the security of the document and making it harder to forge.

He also added that the government has partnered with Ghana Post to provide courier services for the new passports, allowing applicants to receive their documents at their doorstep or collect them at the nearest Ghana Post office.

According to him, a 24-hour passport operations and delivery service will also be introduced, creating new job opportunities.

Despite the upgrades, passport application fees have been reduced, with the cost of reforms covered under a public-private partnership. This means that Ghanaian taxpayers will not bear the additional financial burden.

The new system aims to improve efficiency and accountability at passport offices across the country.

'' Interesting facts about our Reset Chip-Embedded Passport Reforms: 

1) You won’t be charged extra for the courier delivery of your chip-embedded passports;

2) Passport officials will be sanctioned if they do not ensure your passport is delivered under 15 days;

3) Ghana Post is the lead courier service provider. Ghana Post’s presence across the country will allow for Ghanaians with address challenges to pick up their chip-embedded passports at the nearest Ghana Post Office;

4) The 24-Hour Passport Operations and Courier Services will create more jobs;

5) All these reforms are happening under reduced passport application fees;

6) The cost of these reforms is being taken care of by the reduced passport application fees under a PPP arrangement so the Ghanaian taxpayer has not been burdened with any additional contract;

7) The new security-enhanced chip-embedded passports will make Ghana compliant with requirements from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). ICAO says our current passports will be obsolete by 2030. We are working for you with innovation and integrity,'' he wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter).

Source: Lead News Online