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The Ministry of International Affairs and Regional Integration is proposing a 544 per cent increment in passport software charges from the present GH¢100 to GH¢644.
The proposed increment is to replicate the rise in printing prices with the intention to curb losses the state incurs in printing passports.
Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of International Affairs and Regional Integration, stated Ghanaians, in comparison with different residents in West Africa pay much less and that “it’s time for Ghanaians to pay practical costs for passports they purchase to journey starting subsequent 12 months”.
She was talking on the ground of Parliament in assist of a GH¢1.127 million price range estimate for the ministry for the 12 months ending December 31, 2024 which has been accredited.
“Ghanaians pay nearly GH¢100 for a passport but to provide one passport booklet it prices GH¢400 which signifies that for each passport that an applicant acquires, the federal government has to place in GH¢300 and this isn’t sustainable,” she stated.
Based on her, the proposal was already earlier than the Subsidiary Laws Committee for consideration into the Charges and Prices Act.
“On the price of passport (for GH¢100), it isn’t sustainable due to this fact I’ll plead with this honourable Home to have a look at this concern for us. It’s already earlier than the Subsidiary Laws Committee and I hope that Ghanaians can pay practical costs for passports.”
Passports, Ms Botchwey stated didn’t primarily function identification doc for Ghanaians any longer, and that those that wanted them, did so to journey and “I do not suppose that they’d need us to proceed to subsidise it”.
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At the moment, Ghana pays the bottom quantity for passport within the West Africa subregion which interprets into US$7.7 on the present alternate price in comparison with Cameroon’s US$180, Guinea US$57, Guinea-Bissau US$65, Burkina Faso US$80 and Nigeria US$54.29.
Talking with journalists after the approval of her ministry’s price range, Ms Botchwey stated the present fees for passports in Ghana was insufficient to cowl manufacturing prices and individuals who wants it should take full price.
“Passports, as I stated, are not sources of identification as all of us have our nationwide ID card. Subsequently, anyone who wants a passport and truly applies and acquires a passport does so as a result of they’ve intention to journey.
“So, if you’ll journey otherwise you intend to journey and you can’t pay GH¢400 then it’s unlucky as a result of even tickets are actually costly,” she stated.
Ms Botchwey appealed to Ghanaians who weren’t in a rush to embark on any worldwide journey, to not go for passports.
She stated to deal with service challenges which had been raised by passport candidates, her outfit had offered candidates with consular companies.
“We’ve offered them with choices to go to a premium centre the place they pay a payment to the service supplier in consolation the place they are going to be offered world class companies,” she stated.
A Deputy Minister of International Affairs and Regional Integration, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, justifying the hike instructed the Home that plans had been far superior for Ghana to introduce chip-imbedded passports within the second quarter of 2024 to have the safety of the Ghanaian passport.
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