Foreign Affairs Ministry nominee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has pledged to reform Ghana’s passport system through advanced technology, eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles for citizens. 

Speaking before the Appointments Committee on Friday, January 31, he emphasised the need to integrate the Ghanacard into the passport application process to streamline services and improve efficiency.  

Ablakwa criticised the current system, arguing that Ghanaians who already possess the Ghanacard should not be required to undergo additional biometric registration for passports. 

“I’ll like to use technology to reform our passport services, and I do not think that in this age, Ghanaians with Ghanacard should be queuing to register for passports,” he stated.  

He further explained that since the Ghana Card already contains biometric and personal data, it should be sufficient for passport issuance without requiring applicants to repeat the same processes. 

According to him, adopting a more technology-driven approach will not only reduce long queues and processing delays but also enhance the overall efficiency of passport administration.  

Ablakwa assured the committee that if approved as Foreign Affairs Minister, he would work towards modernising the passport regime and ensuring that digital solutions play a central role in Ghana’s identity management system. 

He expressed confidence that such reforms would ease the burden on citizens and improve the country’s global competitiveness in travel document issuance.