Minority slams govt over $1.2m passport relaunch

The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns over what it describes as an avoidable financial loss of $1.2 million caused by the government’s relaunch of Ghana’s chip-embedded biometric passport.

According to CitiNewsroom, they argue the project had already been completed and rolled out by the previous Akufo-Addo administration in December 2024, rendering the recent relaunch unnecessary.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, July 9, Deputy Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, said the outgoing government had finalized testing, secured funding, and launched the passports with 50,000 booklets and an order for 200,000 more.

“All of this is on record at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he stated, questioning the justification for the new government’s $1.2 million spend.

He noted that the funds could have been directed towards improving passport service delivery and fixing logistical bottlenecks nationwide.

The Minority also brought up the abrupt three-day closure of Ghana’s embassy in Washington, DC, in May 2025, which they claim resulted in a revenue loss of $38,200 from expedited services and disrupted travel plans for over 100 individuals.

“By dawn on May 26, the embassy was shut, cancelling 437 appointments and forcing at least 112 travellers to miss their flights,” Ayeh said.

The Minority is calling for a full audit of both incidents and is demanding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs compensates affected applicants.

By Joyce Kpeglo