The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, is claiming that the mass rollout of Ghana’s chip-embedded passport was executed under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
As part of the previous government’s digitalisation agenda, Samuel Jinapor says the strategic planning, procurement, and execution undertaken by the Akufo-Addo administration brought the initiative to life, contrary to the narrative suggesting it was achieved by the Mahama government.
He says the relaunch of the programme by the government is “unnecessary” and misrepresents the facts, outlining the timelines and policy actions that led to its development.
“Every essential aspect of the chip-embedded passport programme, from policy formulation to contract execution and logistical delivery, was meticulously completed by the Akufo-Addo Government before it was handed over on 7th January 2025,” he said in a press statement issued Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
According to the Member of Parliament for Damongo, the chip-embedded passport project stemmed from the 2013 ICAO TRIP Strategy, which encouraged the adoption of electronic travel documents.
He admitted that although early discussions began under previous administrations, it was the Akufo-Addo government that revamped the project as part of its digitalisation agenda in 2017.
He further disclosed that two companies, 25th Century Technology Limited and Buck Press Limited, were selected through a competitive selection process to form Biometric Travel Solutions Limited to carry out the project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Jinapor pointed out in his statement that the model helped the nation save money in implementing the initiative.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo launched the project, and some high-ranking officials were issued the first batch.
Some 50,000 booklets were already in stock at the time, according to Jinapor, with 200,000 more ordered, positioning the project for a seamless nationwide rollout.
He admonished the government to ensure the policy is rolled out effectively rather than taking credit for it.
“It is, therefore, through the hard work and dedication of the Akufo-Addo Government… that has led to Ghana issuing electronic chip-embedded passports,” Jinapor stated, urging the current government to “focus on the effective distribution and roll-out” rather than claiming credit.
The Damongo lawmaker criticised the “purported re-launch” of the programme by the government, saying it is putting “an unnecessary burden on the public purse” and a disservice to institutional integrity.
The former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources emphasised that the Minority Caucus, via the Foreign Affairs Committee, remains committed to defending national interests and holding the government accountable for accuracy, rather than misleading the public.
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