Another Passport Change Expected

The passport you are holding may not be a valid document in about two years time. This is because government is feverishly working out modalities for the full implementation of the adoption and introduction of a single ECOWAS passport in Ghana.

The Director, Ministry of Economic Planning and Regional Cooperation, Mrs. Irene Maamah, who disclosed this during an interview with The Heritage last week, said the Foreign Ministry is working closely with the government on the project.

Mrs. Maamah said the introduction of the ECOWAS passport would enable the sub-region to realise its age-long dream of free movements of goods and services.

According to her the process of the ECOWAS passport harmonisation is to offer Ghanaian citizens as well as those in the sub-region the opportunity to acquire the said passport by 2005 when a common ECOWAS passport is expected to be in operation.

Mrs. Maamah said the decision for the single ECOWAS passport was reached in Abuja three years ago when Heads of State and Governments of the sub-region met.

Other decisions taken during that meeting included; the adoption and introduction of multi-country, Shengen-type visas, the removal of numerous roadblocks and security checkpoints on international highways to reduce delays, harassments and extortions as well as the elimination of the rigid border formalities and modernisation of border procedures through the use of passport-scanning machines.

On the effect of the ECOWAS passport on the existing Ghanaian one, the Director saw no effect for the initial period. However, she anticipated a problem in 2005 when ECOWAS passport will be in full force, adding that the local passport would be phased out after Ghana adopted the ECOWAS one. The project, which is supposed to be borne by each member state, has so far started in some member countries including Benin and Senegal, who have started issuing the said passport.

Meanwhile, information from Abuja indicates that Nigeria will soon issue the new ECOWAS passport, which is expected to be launched by President Olusegun Obasanjo. In a separate interview, the MP for Bawku Central and member of the ECOWAS Parliament, Madam Hawa Yakubu, said though the country was saddled with a number of problems, she was optimistic that Ghana would soon be able to issue the ECOWAS passport to its citizens since the issue was high on the government's agenda.

She further explained that, though Ghana is committed to the process of integration, her resources are not allowing her to deliver on schedule.

Madam Hawa said though the Commission has concluded discussions on currency unification that of the ECOWAS visa is yet to be completed.

On the significant of the said programme, Hawa noted that reduction of corruption on our roads, the harassment of our women and others.