Majority in Parliament defends passport fees increment
The Parliamentary Majority Caucus Wednesday defended the government’s recent decision to raise passport fees and other services rendered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Mr Andy Appiah Kubi, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps, said: “The subsidy of passport fees by GH¢400 should not solely benefit the 20 per cent of Ghanaians who require passports to travel, as it is not equitable.”
“We agree that it is only about 20 per cent of Ghanaians that need passports to travel out of the country. And, therefore, looking at it from that context, the passports then become a privilege, not a right or need.”
“So, if it is a privilege, who should bear the cost of passports? To be honest with you, within the subregion, passports in Ghana are the cheapest and indeed it is incomparable with anywhere else.”
“The most immediate cost element is from Liberia, and they are charging GH¢499.50, which is the equivalent of $50 for passports that span for five years…” Mr Appiah Kubi, the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante Akim North, said.
In a related development, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for North Tongu, Tuesday expressed disappointment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration’s decision to increase passport application fees in the country.
He noted that he and his colleague MPs on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee had suggested a graduated approach when economic conditions improved, but their advice was disregarded, and urged the Ministry to reconsider its actions.
The Ministry, in a statement issued on Monday, announced an upward review of fees and charges for all services it provided to the public, effective, Monday, April 1, 2024.
The decision aligned with the 2023 fees and charges regulations, Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2481.
It said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wishes to inform its valued clients that, in accordance with the fees and charges (Miscellaneous provisions Regulations, 2023 (L.I 2481), there will be an adjustment in the fees and charges for all services provided by the Ministry.”
“…Processing fee for an expedited 48-page passport now costs GH¢800, while 32 pages application is GH¢700.”
“Expedited Application 48 Pages GH¢800. Expedited Application 32 Pages GH¢700. Standard Application 32 Pages GH¢500. Standard Application 48 Pages GH¢644.00.”
Mr Ablakwa said: “The Ministry should reconsider this inimical action immediately. We shall surely revisit this matter when Parliament resumes from recess.”
On Friday, December 15, 2023, the Ministry on the Floor of Parliament sought to increase the amount Ghanaians paid to secure passports from GH¢100 to GH¢644.
Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the sector Minister, explained that the deficit in the printing of passport booklets was preventing the necessary investments in the Passport Office.
“…Ghanaians pay just about GH¢100 for a passport, to produce one passport booklet, it costs GH¢400, which means that for every passport that an applicant acquires, the government has to put in GH¢300 and this is not sustainable,” she said.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament before the approval of a GH¢1.127 million budget estimate for the ministry, Madam Ayorkor Botchwey told the House that the proposal was being considered by the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation.
“At the moment, passports don’t serve as IDs, we have national ID cards. Therefore, those who need passports are those who need them to travel, and I don’t think that they would want us to continue to subsidize it.”
Per the report by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the 2024 budget estimates of the ministry, a comparison of Ghana’s passport fees with that of other West African countries shows the rate of $7.7 is the lowest within the sub-region.
Cameroon charges $180, Guinea $57, Guinea-Bissau $65, Burkina Faso $80 and Nigeria $54.29.
Source: GNA