Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has strongly dismissed circulating rumours suggesting that the government had abandoned its promise to reduce passport application fees.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Mr Ablakwa labelled the reports as “fake news” and reaffirmed that the amended Fees and Charges Bill currently before Parliament clearly reflects the planned reduction in ordinary passport fees, from GHS500 to GHS350.
“Kindly ignore the fake news,” Ablakwa wrote. “The amended Fees and Charges for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented to Parliament duly captures the Ordinary Passport Fees reduction.”
The Minister expressed gratitude to Ghanaians for granting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) a strong parliamentary presence, which he said would ensure that the fee reduction is approved in the coming days.
“It is remarkable that despite plans for a substantial reduction in fees, we have rolled out impressive reforms leading to unprecedented convenient, efficient, professional and faster deliveries via courier,” he added.
Mr Ablakwa assured the public that the Mahama administration remains committed to fulfilling its promises, especially those aimed at making essential services more accessible to the average Ghanaian.
“The Mahama administration will always keep its promise to the good people of Ghana,” he noted. “For God and Country.”
This announcement follows recent social media claims that the government had scrapped plans to lower passport fees, claims which have now been publicly debunked by the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
The proposed reforms are part of broader efforts by the Ministry to modernise passport acquisition, including a more robust digital application system, streamlined processing times, and increased access through courier delivery services.
