Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced a reduction in the price of the ordinary passport booklet from GH₵500 to GH₵350. The new price applies to the 32-page passport booklet, which saw its cost increase significantly under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.

The price hike, which raised the cost from GH₵100 to GH₵500, was intended to cover the costs of printing the passports. However, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the time criticized the increase as unfair, pledging to review the policy if they won the 2024 general elections.

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, March 13, Mr. Ablakwa confirmed that the reduction was in line with a broader effort to make passports more affordable for Ghanaians. He emphasized that the price cut would not impose additional costs on the state, noting that it was a step toward easing the financial burden on the public.

“In our effort to make passports more accessible to all Ghanaians, and following instructions from His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, we are pleased to announce the reduction of the ordinary passport booklet from GH₵500 to GH₵350,” he said.

Mr.Ablakwa further explained that his ministry would soon introduce the necessary legislative amendments to ensure the price reduction is formalized. Additionally, he revealed plans to establish a committee tasked with reviewing efforts to phase out the current passport booklet in favor of chip-embedded versions, a move that was initially set in motion by the previous administration.

Source:TheDotNews