The Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Ministry has commissioned another Premium Passport Application Centre (PAC) in the Northern regional capital, Tamale.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Muhammad Habibu Tijani, who did the commissioning on behalf of the sector Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said it is part of the government’s efforts and policy of expanding the scope of passport operations in the country and bringing such vital public service to the door-step of Ghanaians.
“Indeed, the facility we are commissioning today is the third Premium PAC to be opened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and in collaboration with private sector after the Accra and Kumasi Premium Centres.
“The goal is to ease the incessant pressure on various Passport Applications Centres (PACs) across the entire country, and the Northern Region was chosen to provide this additional service to people who desire to process their passports in comfort and great convenience and are able to afford the service.”
The objective, she explained, is to leverage digital world order of technology to augment the obligation of issuance of passports to Ghanaians.
“As part of the process to expand the digital space and to continue to innovate in a fast changing and dynamic world as well as to address the challenges, the ministry has adopted and operationalised government’s digitization policy by automating the process of acquiring passports through the online passport application system.”
The online passport application system is an appointment-based system for the attainment of the three-pronged objectives of convenience, accessibility and reliability in the processing and acquisition of passports, the minister said.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey was hopeful the establishment of the Premium Passport Application Centre in Tamale would create business opportunities in the supply chain where indigenes, residents and well-meaning Ghanaians can take advantage and set up their own small businesses.
She implored staff working at the centre to exhibit the highest levels of professionalism and decorum in the exercise of their duty.
