The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has commissioned a new Passport Application Centre at Dambai in the Oti Region, marking a major milestone in the decentralisation of passport services in Ghana.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Mr Ablakwa said the facility would bring relief to residents who previously had to travel long distances to Accra or Ho for biometric capture and passport collection.

“For far too long, citizens in this region have had to make exhausting trips to Accra just to access a basic public service. That inconvenience ends today,” the Minister stated.

The Dambai centre is expected to significantly improve service delivery, including a 30 per cent reduction in passport processing time. Other innovations include electronic tracking of applications, courier delivery, same-day expedited services, and passport issuance within 15 days.

According to Mr Ablakwa, the reforms are aimed at restoring public confidence in the passport system. “These reforms are about restoring dignity to the Ghanaian passport process and ensuring efficiency, transparency and convenience for applicants,” he said.

The commissioning of the facility forms part of a nationwide effort to expand passport services and ensure equitable access to public services across all 16 regions.