The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integrations Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has responded to complaints over the increase in passport application fee. Madam Botchwey said while it is understandable that some people will struggle to pay the new fee, it is not for everyone to acquire a passport but for those who need it.
Speaking to journalists in Accra on April 2, a day after the new fee took effect, Mrs. Botchwey said government spends extra GHS300 to print one passport. She said that was not reasonable as it wasn’t even able to sustain the operations of the Passport Office.
“The passport applicant pays GHC100, the state absorbs GHC300. It cannot be the case that it will continue, because it is affecting even our operations. And Ghanaians are complaining that it takes long to get a passport and all of that. If government is subsidizing passports heavily, it is difficult to provide any good service to Ghanaians. I am asking humbly Ghanaians, that please if you do not have need for a passport and because you cannot afford, please, humbly, I am asking you not to go for a passport,” Mrs. Botchwey stated.
Also, the minister added that the Ministry cannot unilaterally decide the fees as everything passes through parliament. She said since parliament approved the new fee, it stands and can only be changed if the House decides to do so.
“Parliament agreed to increase it, so it’s been done. If Parliament decides that we should go back, we would have to look at it. It’s Parliament that decided and we go by what they decided,” she explained.
Ghanaians woke up to the new fee for a Ghana passport. Though the minister hinted there would be increment as far back in December 2023, many did not assume it will be that much. However, the new fee saw at least 400% increment with the standard 32-page passport now going for GHS500, up from GHS100. The 48-page booklet is now GHS700 while the expedited options for both are GHS644 and GHS800 respectively.