- $1.2 million spent on biometric passport relaunch deemed wasteful by Minority
- Previous government reportedly launched the same system in December 2024
- Minority calls for audit report and compensation for affected applicants
The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of causing financial loss to the state by spending $1.2 million on what they termed an unnecessary relaunch of Ghana’s chip-embedded biometric passport. According to them, the passport system was already fully secured and launched by the previous Akufo-Addo administration in December 2024, making the current expenditure wasteful and unjustified.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, July 9, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee, stated:
“The outgoing government completed testing, secured supply credit, and officially launched the chip-embedded passport on December 2, 2024. They also secured 50,000 booklets with a standing order for 200,000. All of this is documented at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
He argued that the $1.2 million used for the relaunch could have been better spent improving passport office services and resolving logistical bottlenecks across the country.
The Minority also raised concerns about the abrupt three-day closure of Ghana’s embassy in Washington, D.C., in May 2025, which reportedly led to losses of over $38,000 in expedited service fees. The closure resulted in the cancellation of 437 appointments and caused at least 112 travellers to miss their connecting flights.
“By the morning of May 26, the embassy had shut its doors, and all 437 confirmed appointments were cancelled. In just three days, the Minister’s decision cost Ghana over $38,200 and caused massive disruptions for travellers,” Ayeh stated.
The Minority is calling on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to submit a full audit report on both matters and to provide compensation for individuals affected by the embassy’s closure.
