The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced a reduction in the cost of an ordinary passport application, pending a review of the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) law.

Addressing Parliament on Thursday, March 13, 2025, the minister stated that the cost of applying for a 32-page ordinary passport will be reduced from the current GH¢500 to GH¢350 after the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, presents a review of the law to Parliament.

"We are pleased to announce a reduction in the cost of applying for the 32-page ordinary passport from GH¢500 to GH¢350," Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated while responding to urgent questions filed by MPs.

He assured the House that this reduction resulted from a diligent review of the current charges and that it will not impose any additional cost on the state or lead to financial loss.

The minister further outlined several policies aimed at making passport applications easier and more accessible for all Ghanaians.

He indicated that the government intends to open passport application centers in the six newly created regions.

He also announced plans to establish a more efficient application system, ensuring that printed passports will be delivered directly to applicants at their homes.

Additionally, he revealed that the country will transition from the existing passport system to chip-embedded passports by mid-April.

The cost of passport applications saw a significant increase in April 2024, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, led by Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey under the erstwhile Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government, implemented a substantial fee hike.

The standard 32-page passport booklet rose from GH¢100 to GH¢500—a 400% increase while the 48-page booklet increased to GH¢644. Expedited services also surged, with fees reaching GH¢700 and GH¢800 for the 32-page and 48-page booklets, respectively.

The government justified this increase by citing the unsustainability of subsidizing passport production, which costs GH¢400 per booklet—far exceeding the previous fee.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey argued that the low fees, equivalent to about $7.7 and the lowest in West Africa, placed a financial burden on the state, especially compared to countries like Liberia ($40) and Nigeria ($54.29).

The move was also framed as a step toward aligning Ghana's passport system with regional standards and supporting investments in infrastructure, such as chip-embedded passports introduced in December 2024 to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements.

GA/MA