The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed that 379 individuals, suspected to be foreigners, have been apprehended for unlawfully possessing Ghana Cards and attempting to acquire Ghanaian passports.
Sector Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa clarified that the rise in such occurrences is a result of the heightened value of the Ghanaian passport, which now permits visa-free travel to 42 nations.
He emphasised that the ministry has implemented new security protocols to combat fraudulent activities.
“Foreigners are trying to lay their hands on our passports. We need to be ahead of the threat. So we have outlined a number of enhanced security measures. I can confirm to you that we are rolling out a no-nonsense approach. Any foreigner who attempts to lay their hands on our passport will be promptly apprehended and prosecuted,” Ablakwa stated.
In an effort to bolster security, the ministry has also limited the mobile phone numbers that can be used for passport applications.
“No mobile phone number will be allowed to register for more than five passport applications. We detected a trend of multiple attempts by the same numbers, and these numbers have now been blocked in our system,” the Minister elaborated.
Ablakwa further indicated that the new measures take into account community demographics, the average number of minors, and parental responsibilities, to prevent the exploitation of the system.
The Ministry reiterated its dedication to protecting Ghanaian passports and national security, cautioning that anyone found in violation of these measures would face prosecution.
