- Ablakwa proposes reducing passport cost from GH₵500 to GH₵350
- NDC promised to review the price hike if elected
- Committee to explore chip-embedded passports
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is pushing for an urgent amendment to the Fees and Charges Act to reduce the cost of the ordinary passport booklet from GH₵500 to GH₵350.
Under the previous Akufo-Addo administration, the price of the 32-page passport booklet was increased from GH₵100 to GH₵500 to cover printing expenses. At the time, the opposition NDC criticized the hike as unreasonable and pledged to review it if they won the 2024 general elections.
On Thursday, March 13, while speaking in Parliament, North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa emphasized that the reduction would ease the financial burden on Ghanaians without affecting the state’s finances.
“In our efforts to make passports more accessible to all Ghanaians, and following instructions from His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, we are pleased to announce the reduction of the ordinary 32-page passport booklet from GH₵500 to GH₵350,” he stated.
He added that his ministry would soon take the necessary legislative steps in Parliament to ensure the reduction is approved.
Ablakwa also mentioned that a committee would be formed to explore the transition from the current passport booklet to a chip-embedded version, a move initiated by the previous government.
Listen to his full presentation in Parliament in the audio below.
