Foreign Affairs Ministry procures vehicles to boost passport services

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has purchased 20 pickup trucks for Passport Application Centres across the country to improve staff mobility and enhance passport service delivery. During a visit to the Ashanti Regional Passport Application Centre in Kumasi, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa inspected the logistical challenges facing the facility.

He explained that the vehicles would allow passport officers to perform their duties more efficiently, especially in providing mobile passport application services. Currently, the Kumasi centre operates with just one vehicle, which strains its operations. The newly acquired pickup trucks will be distributed among various regions and the ministry's headquarters in the Greater Accra Region.

The allocation aims to alleviate transportation issues and enable staff to respond more effectively to requests for mobile passport services. Apart from vehicle provision, the Minister announced plans to renovate the Kumasi centre, with the cost expected to be included in the 2027 national budget. He expressed disappointment with the state of some furniture and the overall working conditions at the facility, emphasizing the need for a better environment to boost staff productivity and service delivery.

The Accra Passport Application Centre had already received renovation funds in the 2026 budget and completed its upgrades, with a similar enhancement planned for the Kumasi centre next year. The visit was the Minister's first to the Ashanti Regional Passport Application Centre since taking office, aimed at assessing the challenges affecting its operations, such as inadequate vehicles, worn-out furniture, and other equipment needs.