The acquisition of passports in Ghana has been characterized by unpalatable circumstances for some time now. Anytime the issue crops up, authorities quickly address it temporarily to avoid publicity.
Passport forms are now acquired from some banks such as Ecobank, ADB and others at a fee of GH�50 for normal processing and GH�100 for express processing.
After paying the monies at the banks, applicants are asked to forward their completed forms to the Passports Office in Accra with the assurance that the processing would be done smoothly.
But at the Passports Office, applicants find themselves in a totally different world.
�Connection agents� otherwise referred to as �goro� or errand guys have invaded the stores opposite the Passports Office.
People, who troop to the place to have their passport forms filled for fear of committing mistakes, are made to pay GH�10.00 by the �goro� boys, who also endorse the forms as witnesses.
They also inquire from applicants whether they have been referred to the place by certain influential people.
An undercover entry by the paper into the Passports Office revealed pockets of applicants and connection agents at the premises.
An official told this reporter that one of the machines, which used to process the passports, had developed a fault and was being repaired.
There were people loitering on the ground and first floors of the office building.
One of the applicants told this reporter that �Just recently, applicants could acquire their passports in a matter of three days after submitting them but now it takes close to three months to get it. Unless you know somebody here, forget it.�
At 11.06 am, an official at the Client Services Unit told this reporter that �we are not receiving passports today. If you want to tender any, you have to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs near Tema Station in Accra.�
But the reporter later learnt from a top official that the submission of applications was supposed to stop at 12.00 pm since one of the machines was faulty.
Applicants, as a result of the broken down equipment, have to mobilize between GH�150 and GH�200 to be given to the connection men, who then pressurize their cohorts working at the office to process their passports.
�I think officials at the Passport Office cannot put a stop to this mess. They only act as if they are innocent only to allow the situation to fester again after a short period. The minister of Interior must stop these shameful and corrupt activities. The systems are not working.�
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