Calls for increment in passport fees unanimous – Appiah-Kubi

The Majority in Parliament has stated that the revision of passport fees from GH¢100 to GH¢500 is the unanimous call by the House following advice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explore practical methods of covering the cost of passport acquisition.

The increment, it said, will enhance the process for Ghanaians and also remove the huge subsidies that the government spends each year on the acquisition of passports.

Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, who addressed the media on the ongoing debate on the increment, argued that the role of passports has transitionally focused more on travel rather than a primary means of identification with the advent of the national identification card.

The acquisition of passports, he said, has therefore become a privilege and not a necessity and questioned why the government should continue to subsidize the process for people who voluntarily go for the document.

According to him, the recalibration of passport fees to GH¢500 for a ten-year period will address the actual costs involved in passport production, including a notable GH¢400 for the passport booklet and printing, and an additional GH¢100 for administrative costs.

“This is not an avenue to make profits, but to ensure that we cover all associated costs,” Appiah-Kubi emphasized.

He also touched on the historical subsidization of passports by the government, a practice increasingly scrutinized in light of the availability of alternative means of identification.

“It became necessary for all institutions of Ghana to reconfigure their systems to accept the national ID as a means of proving citizenship, rendering passports a privilege for those needing to travel abroad,” he stated.

The decision, he said, is also a step towards eliminating the so-called ‘goro boys’ phenomenon and the exorbitant fees charged by intermediaries for expedited passport processing.

“Some applicants have been using illegal pretexts to procure passports at costs as high as GH¢1,500,” Appiah-Kubi revealed.

He underscored the government’s commitment to opening more application centres to reduce transportation costs and streamline the acquisition process.

According to him, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs historically seeks Parliament’s approval during budget debates for subsidies to lower the passport fees for Ghanaians.

And during the 2024 debate MPs questioned the necessity of such subsidies, considering passports are not mandatory for proof of citizenship and those who go for them do so voluntarily.

“The entire House, not just one side, encouraged the Ministry to explore more practical methods of covering passport acquisition costs,” Appiah-Kubi stated.

He stated that this directive led the Ministry to propose a revised fee structure to Parliament through the Ministry of Finance, initially suggesting a charge of GH¢ 700 for standard passport processing, which was, however, reduced to GH¢500.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided not to reconsider the recently adjusted passport fees.

According to the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the revised fees aim to boost revenue generation, thereby improving service delivery at passport offices nationwide.

Effective April 1, the Ministry revised passport application fees, from GH¢100 to ¢500 for the 32-page booklet and to ¢644 for the 48-page booklet under the standard service.

Source:mypublisher24