Ghana launches online passport application

Ghana on Tuesday officially launched an online passport application service as part of its e-governance strategy.

Launching the project, Ghana's foreign minister Hanna Serwaa Tetteh called on Ghanaians to take advantage of the service as it would make it easier for them to apply and obtain a passport within the shortest possible time.

"I am very glad that we are able to use improved technology to be able to get people safe, secure methods of payment that reduce the stress in actually having to go to a particular location to make payment before your application can be dealt with," she said.

The issuance of biometric passports in Ghana has been characterized by substantial delays and huge backlog, which have constantly drawn complaints from passport applicants.

Under the current arrangement, regular passport applications are to be processed within a minimum of 21 working days while express ones are to be handled within nine working days.

However, successful applicants had to wait for several months before they could acquire a travel passport owing to the secretariat's inability to adhere strictly to timelines.

Some Ghanaians have also complained about unnecessary bureaucratic practices and corruption at the office, which added to difficulties in the acquisition and renewal of passports. Endit