Accra, Ghana – Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has become the first person to receive the country’s newly launched chip-embedded passport, marking a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to modernize passport services.
The official launch ceremony took place on Monday, April 28, 2025, at the Passport Head Office in Accra, where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration announced the rollout of the new biometric passports.
Addressing the gathering, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, explained that the introduction of the chip-embedded passports is aimed at strengthening passport security, eliminating the role of middlemen, and enhancing transparency in the application process.
Mr. Ablakwa emphasized that the Ministry is committed to delivering a seamless, citizen-centric service that is accessible to all Ghanaians while avoiding the challenges often caused by third-party interference.
The new passport system forms part of a broader package of reforms introduced this year by the Ministry to improve efficiency and accessibility.
These reforms include the implementation of 24-hour passport office operations, courier delivery services for passports, e-tracking systems for application status updates, and a 30 per cent reduction in application fees.
The chip-embedded passports, which store biometric data within a secure microchip, offer enhanced protection against identity theft and document fraud.
This upgrade aligns Ghana with international best practices already adopted by several countries around the world.
Mr. Ablakwa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to digitization and public service transformation, describing the rollout of the chip-embedded passports as a major step toward modernizing Ghana’s travel documentation system.
With the Chief of Staff Mr. Julius Debrah becoming the first recipient, the government has sent a strong signal of its readiness to embrace innovation and enhance service delivery for all citizens.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites
) / Ahotoronline.com | Ghana 
