Director at the Accra passport office addresses challenges in passport processing

Passport issues in Ghana have become a significant concern, especially with the recent 400% increase in passport fees that came into effect earlier this month.

In an interview on Western Echo, Mr. Paul Cudjoe, the Director at the Passport Office in Accra, highlighted the challenges faced by both applicants and the authorities.

According to Mr. Cudjoe, processing a passport usually takes about 20-21 working days.

However, various challenges exist, and the World Bank project is assisting by providing essential equipment such as computers and fingerprint scanners to streamline the process.

He mentioned, “Globally passport process takes 20 to 21 working days which means roughly one month. However, there are challenges, and that is where the World Bank through the senior presidential advisor’s office comes in. So the World Bank project is supporting us with some computers, some fingerprint scanners, and other equipment that we need.”

One significant challenge Mr. Cudjoe pointed out is the tendency of many Ghanaians to wait until they urgently need a passport before starting the application process.

This rush creates a backlog and pressure on passport officials.

He emphasized, “The peculiar nature of Ghanaians is that we’ll wait until there’s a need for us to travel and then we’ll be rushing, so invariably all the time there’s a backlog.”

Regarding allegations of exploitation and extortion, Mr. Cudjoe clarified that such acts are not conducted by passport officers but by middlemen.

He urged applicants to deal directly with the passport office to avoid these issues, stating, “I appeal to Ghanaians that if you need a passport and you think it’s an emergency, there’s no need to pay money to any middlemen.”

Mr. Eric Nyarko, the officer in charge of the Takoradi passport office, also raised concerns about incorrectly filled forms by applicants.

He mentioned, “99% both illiterate and literate, their applications are not up to the scratch. Many people don’t fill the forms as they should, they don’t fill the forms themselves.”

This leads to delays as corrections need to be made before processing can continue.

The insights provided by Mr. Cudjoe and Mr. Nyarko highlight the need for applicants to understand and follow the passport application process correctly to avoid delays and challenges for both themselves and the passport authorities.