The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed that 379 individuals, suspected to be foreigners, have been arrested for illegally possessing Ghana Cards and attempting to acquire Ghanaian passports.
Sector Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa attributed the rise in such cases to the growing value of the Ghanaian passport, which now offers visa-free access to 42 countries. He emphasized that the ministry has implemented new security measures to combat fraudulent activities.
“Foreigners are attempting to obtain our passports, and we must stay ahead of this threat. We have introduced several enhanced security measures. I can assure you that we are taking a strict approach—any foreigner caught trying to acquire our passport will be promptly apprehended and prosecuted,” Ablakwa stated.
To further strengthen security, the ministry has also imposed limits on mobile phone numbers used for passport applications. “No single mobile number will be allowed to register for more than five passport applications. We identified multiple attempts using the same numbers, and these have now been blocked in our system,” the Minister explained.
Ablakwa added that the new measures take into account community demographics, the average number of minors, and parental responsibilities, in order to prevent exploitation of the system.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to protecting Ghanaian passports and national security, warning that anyone found violating these measures would face prosecution.
