Minority condemns alleged sale of Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports
The Minority in Parliament has condemned the alleged sale of Ghanaian Diplomatic and Service Passports, stressing that the travel documents should only be issued to individuals who meet the legal requirements and require them for official purposes.
The criticism comes after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the cancellation of 10 Service Passports allegedly issued to unqualified individuals, as part of investigations into a suspected passport-for-sale syndicate believed to have been operating since 2023.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, November 8, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, said the affected passports should never have been issued.
He explained that Diplomatic and Service Passports offer nearly identical visa-free travel benefits, making them appealing to individuals seeking easier access to other countries.
“There is not much difference between Diplomatic and Service Passports. Diplomatic Passports allow holders to enter 62 countries without a visa, while Service Passports provide visa-free access to 59 countries. Therefore, only three countries—Hong Kong, Qatar and Turkey—distinguish between the two categories. The remaining 59 countries treat them practically the same,” he said.
Mr Jinapor noted that the travel benefits could attract people seeking to travel abroad, but emphasised that the passports are meant strictly for official duties and should not be treated as privileges available for purchase by anyone willing to pay.
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