The Ashanti Region is expected to get a second Passport Application Centre by the first quarter of 2027, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced.

Ablakwa made the announcement during a working visit to the region’s existing Passport Application Centre, where he noted that the region’s large population had placed considerable pressure on staff and equipment.

He said work on the new centre, located at Ashanti Mampong, had progressed, with the facility expected to ease the pressure on the existing office and improve access to passport services.

The new centre is also expected to reduce the risks and inconvenience applicants face when travelling long distances to attend scheduled biometric capture appointments.

The facility will complement the existing Passport Application Centre and provide an additional option for residents seeking to obtain passports in the Ashanti Region.

Ablakwa said the new office would be part of efforts to expand passport services and improve service delivery across the country.

The Ashanti Mampong centre will be in addition to the seven passport centres opened last year in the Upper East Region and the six newly created regions.

The expansion is expected to bring passport services closer to applicants, reduce pressure on existing facilities and make the application process more convenient.

The Minister also expressed optimism that the new office, once fully operational, would help increase the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ internally generated funds.

The centre is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2027.