As part of efforts of the the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to curb corruption at the various passport centres across the country, the ministry has announced hotlines for applicants to report officers who mistreat and extort monies from them in their quest to acquire a passport.
The ministry in a statement released on Thursday, August 17, 2023, provided some phone numbers and an email through which applicants can report personnel who mistreat them.
This comes after the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, recently paid an announced visit to the passport office in Accra, over concerns of corruption.
The public was reminded not pay any money to any officer at the passport office but rather make all payments via platforms provided by government.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has observed with grave concerns some complaints by applicants about extortions and mistreatment meted out to them at some Passport Application Centers (PACs). In an effort to deal with the menace, the Ministry is urging applicants who suffer any mistreatment or corruption to report such incidents.”
“The Ministry further the general public that the passport applications are made on the passport application portal – passport.mfa.gov.gh and payment for the approved processing fees for the passport is made on the ghana.gov.gh”.
Also, the ministry noted that officers henceforth will be made to wear name tags and cautioned the public not engage anyone without a tag.
“As part of measures to be implemented, all officers will be made to wear name tags. The public is thereby advised not to engage any person who is unable to identify themselves with the issued name tags, as they most likely are middlemen, usually referred to as “goro boys”.
See full statement:
