Bright Simons, Vice President of IMANI Africa, has raised concerns over what he perceives as inconsistencies in the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs's justification for increasing Ghana's passport fees.
In a statement, Bright Simons highlighted discrepancies in the Deputy Minister's claims regarding the comparative cost of Ghanaian passports to those of neighbouring countries. He pointed out that while the Deputy Minister cited Ghana's fees as the cheapest in the region, the actual figures presented did not align with this assertion.
According to Bright Simons;
- Nigeria charges ~$11/$18 for a 32-page booklet & $25 for a 64-page booklet (official exchange rate; lower for market rate).
- Gambia charges $14.5 for a 64-page booklet
- Ghana charges $8 for 32-page booklet & $12.5 for 64-page (standard) BUT $12.5/32-page & $16.5/64-page EXPEDITED
Simons provided examples of passport fees from Nigeria and Gambia, demonstrating that Ghana's fees are not consistently the lowest. He emphasized that depending on the size and mode of application, Ghanaian passports can indeed be more expensive than those of other countries.
The IMANI Africa Vice President questioned the reliability of officials' statements and expressed concern that inaccurate information could undermine public trust in government policies.
Simons's remarks come in response to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration's proposal to increase passport fees, citing inadequacy in covering procurement, processing, and issuing costs. The Deputy Minister, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, had indicated a potential increase from US$8 to US$40 to align Ghana's fees with those of Liberia.
The discrepancies highlighted by Simons underscore the importance of transparency and accuracy in government communication, particularly when proposing policy changes that directly impact citizens.
