Mr James Gyakye Quayson, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, has commissioned a new Passport Application Centre at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region, as part of the government’s efforts to decentralise passport services.
The facility is expected to ease the burden on prospective applicants who previously had to travel long distances to access passport services.
At the commissioning ceremony, Mr Quayson said the Sefwi Wiawso centre would help reduce travel costs, delays, and the frustrations associated with passport acquisition, while also curbing the activities of “goro boys.”
The Deputy Minister noted that for many years now, residents of Sefwi Wiawso and surrounding districts were compelled to travel long distances to Kumasi or Takoradi to access passport services.
“These journeys are not only costly and time-consuming but also disruptive to livelihoods, particularly for farmers and traders whose daily economic activities cannot easily be put on hold.
“In some cases, these challenges created opportunities for unscrupulous middlemen to exploit desperate applicants who were in need of a Ghanaian passport,” he said.
Mr Quayson said the commissioning of the centre was a deliberate response to these challenges.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to bringing essential services closer to the people and urged staff of the centre to discharge their duties with professionalism, integrity, and efficiency.
Mr Wilbert Petty Brentum, the Western North Regional Minister, said the establishment of the Passport Application Centre was not only a fulfilment of a long-standing aspiration of the people, but also a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to decentralisation and improved access to essential public services.
“For many years, residents of the Western North Region had to travel long distances to access passport services, often at great cost and inconvenience, so the opening of this centre right here in Sefwi Wiawso brings relief, dignity, and renewed hope to our people,” he stated.
He said the facility would undoubtedly contribute to enhanced national security, improved service delivery, and ensure economic empowerment, especially for the youth, traders, students, and professionals who require passports for education, business, and international engagement.
Mr Brentum expressed his profound gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to inclusive national development.
He also expressed appreciation to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the entire management and staff of the Passport Office for making this project a reality.
To demonstrate the centre’s readiness, the Deputy Minister personally presented a passport to an applicant who had completed the application process at the Sefwi Wiawso centre.
