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Foreign Affairs Minister-nominee, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has said if she’s approved by Parliament, her administration will speed up work on migrating from Ghana’s biometric passports system to chip-embedded ones.

The previous National Democratic Congress (NDC), had in 2016 indicated that, Ghana will from 2017 move from issuing biometric passports, to chip-embedded ones to its citizens globally.

The Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Hanna Tetteh, had explained that the move was to enable the country meet international standards, as well as make it possible for Ghanaians in the diaspora to acquire passports from Ghana’s 57 missions and consulates worldwide.

Speaking during her vetting at Parliament House on Monday, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said although the migration process went as far as to the central tender board under the tenure of the former Minister, she will ensure that the process is quickened.

“…Of course, this is a process that did not come to a completion, but I will assure the house that I will do everything within my power to expedite it. I need to look at it again, and ensure that everything is okay.

I know that the process went as far as to the central tender board, but in making sure that everything is okay, also appreciate the fact that we need to migrate from biometric passport to chip embedded passport, which will make it very easy for everyone of us in terms of security.”

Acquiring Ghanaian passport still difficult

The acquisition of Ghanaian passport remains very tedious for prospective applicants.

The process is still very slow and fraught with illegal charges. There are sometimes shortages of passport forms across the country.

About Shirley

Shirley was born in Accra on the 8th February 1963. She holds an MA (Public Communication) University of Westminster in 2002.

She also has an MA (Public Communication) University of Westminister, 2002; MBA (Project Management) University of Ghana which she received in 2004.

She has been in Parliament since 2005. She has also served on some Parliamentary committees including, Gender and Children, Committee of Selection, Committee on Members Holding Offices of Profit Communications.