Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has urged staff of the passport office to prepare for extended working hours—day, night, and dawn shifts—as part of the government’s 24-hour economy initiative.

Speaking at the passport headquarters in Accra, he emphasized that applicants should receive their passports within a week of application, a key goal of the reform.

Ablakwa also revealed plans to introduce chip-embedded passports and integrate passport data with the National Identification Authority system to streamline applicant verification.

Reaffirming his commitment to modernizing the Foreign Affairs Ministry, he announced efforts to revise passport fees—reducing costs for ordinary applicants while increasing fees for premium services.

“You have also heard about our big reforms that we want to carry out. We want the Passport Administration in our country to become a 24-hour operation,” he stated.

“This year [2025], you need to stand and get ready, prepare yourselves. We’re going to run three shifts. We want to cut down on the waiting time for passports.

“We believe that within a week, it should be possible to get a Ghanaian passport when you apply for it. The 24-hour economy intervention we’re making will address that,” he added.

Citinewsroom