Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced a significant bonus for staff of Ghana’s Passport administration following a recent assessment by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) – which ranked the institution among the country’s most transformed and least corrupt public institutions. In a Facebook post on Saturday, August 15, Mr. Ablakwa stated he made a working visit to the Passport head office to congratulate management and staff on the recognition and commend them for their performance, reflecting the significant positive impact of the government’s ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing service delivery. He emphasized that the government would reward passport administration staff with a special bonus next week, a decision driven by the GSS survey’s findings highlighting improvements in the institution’s operations. Mr. Ablakwa explained that the recognition was a tangible demonstration of the impact of these reforms, which are focused on strengthening integrity, professionalism, innovation, client satisfaction, and excellence within the passport administration. The Minister stated that Ghana now boasts one of the most advanced and secure chip-embedded passports in the world, a significant achievement considering the institution’s evolution. He further revealed that Ghanaian passports are now considered among the most valuable on the African continent, with premium visa waiver status improving their value to holders. According to Mr. Ablakwa, the passport administration has cleared all application backlogs following the introduction of 24-hour operations, resulting in applicants now receiving their passports within a few working days, with processing taking less than 15 days without the involvement of middlemen or ‘goro boys’. The Minister also noted a reduction of 30% in the cost of obtaining a passport, making the service more affordable for Ghanaians. Furthermore, the introduction of courier services has improved convenience, allowing passports to be delivered quickly to applicants at no additional cost. Mr. Ablakwa underscored that same-day passport processing has been implemented, and a digital tracking system has been introduced to monitor application progress. Crucially, enhanced security protocols have been established to prevent foreigners from illegally acquiring Ghanaian passports. The establishment of Passport Application Centres in all 16 regions of Ghana represents another key development, marking a significant step in transforming the Passport Administration into a more efficient, secure, and customer-focused public service. Mr. Ablakwa stated that the reforms are part of a broader effort to transform the Passport Administration into a more efficient, secure, and customer-focused public service, and that the government will continue to pursue reforms centered on integrity, professionalism, innovation, and client satisfaction as it seeks to improve the experience of Ghanaians applying for passports.”
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Source: Adom Online
