MP Ablakwa Delivers Surprise Bonus for Passport Staff Amid Praise for

MP Ablakwa Unveils Surprise Bonus for Passport Staff Amid Praise for Corruption-Free Service

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced a surprise bonus for staff of Ghana's Passport administration following a recent Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) report that ranked the institution among the country's most transformed and least corrupt public institutions.

The bonus is a recognition of the impressive output of the passport administration staff as highlighted by the GSS survey. According to the survey, the passport administration has undergone significant reforms aimed at improving service delivery.

Reforms Drive Efficiency and Security

The reforms have led to several key achievements, including the introduction of 24-hour operations, which has cleared all application backlogs. Applicants can now receive their passports within a few working days, with processing taking less than 15 days in many cases, without the involvement of middlemen or "goro boys."

Mr. Ablakwa also announced that the cost of obtaining a passport had been reduced by 30 per cent to make the service more affordable to Ghanaians. Courier services have been introduced to improve convenience and allow passports to be delivered quickly to applicants at no additional cost.

Enhanced Security Protocols in Place

The Minister also highlighted the introduction of enhanced security protocols to prevent foreigners from illegally acquiring Ghanaian passports. A digital tracking system has been introduced to allow applicants to monitor the progress of their applications.

Mr. Ablakwa said that same-day passport processing was now possible under the reforms. The establishment of Passport Application Centres in all 16 regions of Ghana has also been a major development.

Government Commends Passport Staff

In a Facebook post on Saturday, August 15, Mr. Ablakwa congratulated the management and staff of the passport administration on the recognition and commended them for their performance. He said the government would reward passport administration staff with a special bonus next week in recognition of their work.

The Minister pledged to maintain the changes aimed at improving service delivery and to continue with radical reforms driven by integrity, professionalism, innovation, client satisfaction, and excellence.

Passport Reforms Bear Fruit

Ghana now has one of the most advanced and secure chip-embedded passports in the world. Ghanaian passports are also now considered among the most valuable on the African continent, with premium visa waiver status that has improved their value to holders.

Mr. Ablakwa said that the reforms had led to several key achievements, including the establishment of Passport Application Centres in all 16 regions of Ghana for the first time. The Minister said the government would continue to pursue reforms centred on integrity, professionalism, innovation, and client satisfaction as it seeks to improve the experience of Ghanaians applying for passports.

The introduction of reforms has significantly improved the efficiency and security of the passport administration, and the government is committed to building on this progress. The surprise bonus for passport staff is a recognition of their hard work and dedication to delivering a corruption-free service.

Source: JOY