New Passport Application Centres Issue 13,098 Chip-Embedded Passports

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that its newly established Passport Application Centres (PACs) in seven regions without previous passport application facilities have already issued 13,098 chip-embedded passports.

The development forms part of efforts by the Ministry to decentralise passport services and reduce the burden on citizens who previously had to travel long distances to other regions to apply for or obtain their passports.

The seven new PACs are located in Bolgatanga, Nalerigu, Damongo, Techiman, Dambai, Goaso and Sefwi Wiawso, serving residents across the Upper East, Ahafo, Bono East, North East, Oti, Savannah and Western North Regions.

According to figures released by the Ministry, Techiman recorded the highest number of passports issued, with 4,578, followed by Bolgatanga with 2,784.

Sefwi Wiawso has issued 2,174 passports, while Goaso has recorded 1,931 applications.

The other centres have also contributed to the total, with Dambai issuing 780 passports, Damongo 443 and Nalerigu 408.

The Ministry said the establishment of the seven centres has made a significant difference for residents in the affected regions, who previously had to undertake inconvenient journeys to other parts of the country to access passport services.

The decentralisation is expected to make the passport application process more accessible, particularly for citizens living far from Ghana’s traditional passport application centres.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that without the new PACs, thousands of residents in the seven regions would continue to make long and costly trips to other regions whenever they needed passport services.

The initiative is therefore being presented as part of the Ministry’s broader effort to improve public service delivery and make essential services more accessible to Ghanaians.

The Ministry’s message accompanying the figures was “Resetting & Serving you Better,” signalling its commitment to improving the delivery of passport services nationwide.