Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says a second Passport Application Centre (PAC) will be established in the Ashanti Region by the first quarter of 2027.
The facility will be located in Mampong, where premises have already been secured, with work to equip the centre expected to begin in the next few weeks.
Mr Ablakwa announced the plan after visiting the Passport Application Centre in Kumasi on Wednesday, October 14.
He said the working visit gave him the opportunity to assess how recent policy reforms were affecting both passport applicants and staff.
“This second PAC will be located in Mampong where a facility has already been secured. We shall commence equipping the facility in the next few weeks,” Mr Ablakwa wrote on X after the visit.
The minister said the decision was supported by the need to improve access to passport services in the country’s second most populous region. The Greater Accra Region currently has three Passport Application Centres.
He said the additional centre in Ashanti would reduce pressure on existing staff, make the application process more convenient and provide employment opportunities.
Mr Ablakwa also said the government was supplying vehicles and new equipment, while refurbishing older Passport Application Centres across Ghana.
During his visit to Kumasi, he spoke with applicants about their experiences and suggestions for improving the service.
“I made time to listen to applicants share their experiences and ideas on how we can serve them better,” he said.
The minister praised staff for what he described as their patriotism, integrity and professionalism, saying their work had been recognised in recent surveys and by Ghanaians.
“I commended our hardworking staff for their patriotism, integrity and professionalism which has been acknowledged by recent surveys and hailed by Ghanaians,” Mr Ablakwa said.
He added that the government’s reforms had received a positive response from Ghanaians across the country. Those changes include a 30% reduction in passport application fees, the introduction of free and fast delivery, and the launch of a new e-Tracking system.
Mr Ablakwa also pointed to the establishment of Passport Application Centres in all 16 regions of Ghana as a significant development.
“It is refreshing to know that Ghanaians all over the country are pleased with our passport reforms, the 30% reduction in application fees, the introduction of free and fast delivery, the new e-Tracking system and the historic establishment of PACs in all 16 regions of Ghana,” he said.
