In a major step to simplify passport acquisition in Ghana, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a home and office delivery service for passport applicants.
The new service, which took effect on Friday, May 9, was spearheaded by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
It forms part of a strategic partnership with Ghana Post and local courier company Troskit, aimed at delivering passports directly to applicants within 15 days of application.
Addressing the media, Minister Ablakwa explained that the initiative is designed to eliminate long-standing bottlenecks, including bureaucratic delays and the influence of middlemen often referred to as “goro boys.”
“This reform puts the power back in the hands of citizens by making passport delivery faster, safer, and more transparent,” he said.
The move is expected to significantly improve user experience, reduce congestion at passport offices, and enhance public trust in the system.
“Ghanaian passport applicants are no longer required to go back to the passport application centre for their passports. We have introduced peculiar services, making sure that passports are delivered to the comfort of the homes or offices of applicants,” he said.
He further revealed that the passport office now operates 24 hours a day in line with President Mahama’s vision of establishing a 24-hour economy.
“The passport office, you may also have heard, is now operating 24 hours in line with President Mahama’s vision of launching Ghana into a new era of the 24-hour economy. We have also introduced e-tracking to allow passport applicants to follow the process right from application to delivery,” Ablakwa explained.
“We are doing all these reforms to make sure that we do away with bottlenecks and end that phenomenon of goro boys middlemen taking advantage of the bureaucracy and delay in the passport acquisition process,” he added.