The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Greater Accra Region, Ashie Moore, has sharply criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Speaking on Yen Nsempa on Onua FM, Moore condemned the decision to raise passport procurement fees.
The outcry follows an announcement by the ministry regarding a significant hike in passport application processing fees, effective Monday, April 1, 2024. The price surge represents a staggering 400% increase from previous rates.
Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration presented a proposal to Parliament seeking to revise the existing charges for passport applications, escalating the fee from GH¢100 to GH¢644. The revised fee structure, as outlined on the passport application website, indicates that expedited applications for 48-page passports will now cost GH¢800, while the 32-page counterpart will fetch GH¢700.
For standard applications, the 32-page passport will now be priced at GH¢500, whereas the 48-page variant will require payment of GH¢644.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who championed the fee increment proposal, justified the move by citing financial constraints in the economy. She argued that it was imperative for Ghanaians to bear more realistic prices for passports in light of prevailing economic challenges, stressing that state subsidies for passport issuance were no longer sustainable.
