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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has enhanced the security features of Ghanaian passports and instituted other stringent measures to prevent undeserving foreigners from acquiring the travel document.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the move had become necessary, especially as the FIFA World Cup approached, in order to prevent foreigners and criminals from acquiring the Ghanaian passport.
He said the credibility of the Ghanaian passport was at stake, given the multiple visa waiver agreements with various countries.
“If these countries notice that foreigners, all kinds of international criminals, gangsters, et cetera can easily acquire Ghanaian passports, it will derail all these gains, and countries will pull out of these bilateral agreements,” Mr Ablakwa said.
On the back of the implementation of the robust regime, the minister disclosed that 379 foreigners had been rounded up for attempting to obtain Ghanaian passports with fake Ghana Cards.
Ghana is one of at least nine African countries to have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July.
The qualification has opened up opportunities for Ghanaians who want to go and support the Black Stars at the tournament, making the Ghanaian passport one of the hot travel documents on the continent.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (in smock), Minister of Foreign Affairs, explaining a point to the delegation from GCGL during the meeting. Picture: EDNA SALVO KOTEY
“We are going to make sure that Ghanaian passports become very difficult to be acquired by foreigners.
There have been multiple rounds of visa sanctions that have gone on.
Virtually all our neighbours, and many countries, about 60 per cent of African countries, are under sanctions from US President Donald Trump.
“Beyond the USA, there are other countries that have difficulties with other countries.
Even for Hajj and other events, they have been blacklisted.
So, there will certainly be pressure this year, especially as the World Cup approaches,” Mr Ablakwa said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic last Friday.
He, however, gave an assurance that the ministry was putting in place measures and investing in technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor application processes in the regional offices to prevent the acquisition of Ghanaian passports by undeserving people.
The Foreign Affairs Minister indicated that although the government last introduced chip-embedded passports at all 16 regional passport application centres, it was also aware of the risks of infiltration by foreigners, especially in the border regions.
To mitigate this, Mr Ablakwa said, Regional Passport Directors would now sit on Regional Security Councils as ex officio members, sharing intelligence with immigration, national security, and defence agencies to make sure that the people identified as infiltrators coming into the country would not approach the passport application centres and apply for passports.
"We want to really know who you are, what part of Ghana you come from, what makes you a Ghanaian," Mr Ablakwa said, stressing the rigorous screening process applicants may go through to acquire the travel document.
Currently, he said, the ministry had instituted a robust system which ensures that a flagged applicant could not go to another passport office across the country to apply for the same without being caught.
“We've also put in place technology which allows us to see in real-time what is happening in all the passport application centres. Here at the headquarters, I can see and verify what is happening.
“If in the past you could apply for a passport in Kumasi and later appear in Accra or Tamale after you’ve been turned down as a foreigner earlier, now you cannot do that. Once you are flagged in the system and blacklisted, say in Bolga, immediately the entire system across the country blacklists you,” the minister explained.
On the back of the integrity of the country’s passport, Mr Ablakwa said Ghana was successful with 11 visa waiver agreements, all signed last year.
“We signed 11 visa waiver agreements with countries like Morocco, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, and a host of others.
So, by virtue of having a Ghanaian passport, you don't need visas to travel to these countries,” he said.
With the country presently boasting over 50 visa-free entries for Ghanaian passport holders, the Foreign Affairs Minister added that a number of similar visa agreements were scheduled to be signed this year.
Mr Ablakwa affirmed that the government would this year introduce an Electronic Visa (E-Visa) policy, aiming to simplify and modernise the visa application process.
He said documents were being finalised on the process to be presented to Cabinet in fulfilment of the E-Visa policy promise made by President John Mahama at the launch of key performance indicators for Ghanaian envoys last year.
The policy, the minister said, would make it easier for tourists and business travellers to visit the country, while also promoting Pan-Africanism and simplifying travel for Africans.
He explained that the E-Visa system would allow applicants to submit forms and supporting documents electronically, reducing processing time and eliminating the need for in-person visits to Ghanaian embassies or consulates.
Mr Ablakwa added that while applicants would still undergo screening, frequent travellers with intact documents and no criminal record could expect a smoother process.
