Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, has said the House will revisit the increment in the fees charged for passport application when it resumes from recess.
The North Tongu Member of Parliament, reacting to the increment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, indicated that they advised at the Committee level that the proposal be put on hold considering the hard economic conditions in the country.
He says they also advised even if the fees would be increased, it should be carried on a gradual basis after the economy has become better.
However, the government refused and has gone ahead to approve the new fees, without recourse to the economic situations in the country.
His reaction follows the increase in the fees which takes effect today, Monday, April 1, 2024.
In a post he made on his social media, the legislator asked the government to reconsider the decision, whilst assuring the public of revisiting the issue when Parliament resumes from recess.
Below is Ablakwa’s reaction to the fees increment
I am terribly disappointed in Ghana’s Foreign Ministry for the astronomical increases in passport application fees.
As my NDC colleagues and I always maintained at the Foreign Affairs Committee, the current economic crisis and unprecedented high cost of living make it untenable to impose these draconian fees.
We insisted at Committee that the worst case scenario could be a graduated approach when economic conditions improve but alas they ignored our advice and have gone ahead to impose these insensitive rates in one fell swoop.
The Ministry should reconsider this inimical action immediately.
We shall surely revisit this matter when Parliament resumes from recess.
