Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey expresses rage over Passport Office’s staff corruption practices
The passport office’s staff has come under fire from foreign affairs minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for allegedly engaging in corrupt practices that have damaged the office’s reputation.
The minister expressed her rage over the ongoing practice of passport agents and “goro boys and girls” extorting cash from clients in order to speed up their services.
According to Madam Botchwey, the passport office employees collude with a cartel of “goro boys and girls” to rig the system.
She emphasized the necessity of sanitizing the passport system and, as a result, relieved personnel seconded to the office as of August 21.
She bemoaned the accusations made against politicians when some members of the public and civil servants have actually been involved in corruption and activities related to corruption.
According to her, an investigation is currently being conducted, and if found guilty, the offenders will face punishment.
Addressing journalists, she said, “I told my officers to put up an online system, now the online system is being manipulated so that people can make money off it. There are investigations going on, and some names have been mentioned. There’s a cartel of people who are working with people from inside. Anybody who has been here for more than one year, from Monday on, please do not come back because you have been changed. We want to bring some sanity. Every time, we say, politicians are corrupt, meanwhile, it is some public and civil servants who will do things that shouldn’t be done, and then they will be put it on politicians. We are trying to bring sanity into the system but no”.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey also wants all serving security service personnel stationed at the Passport Office in Accra to be sacked.
The staff, according to Madam Botchwey, has stayed at the passport office past what was originally scheduled.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey in an interview with journalists following a surprise visit to the Passport Office, says it is unacceptable for Ghanaians to pay more than GH¢3000 to obtain a passport.
