The Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a stern reminder regarding the recall of Diplomatic and Service Passports issued during the previous administration.
This follows a directive from the Office of the President and a subsequent public announcement by the Ministry on 15th January, 2025.
The Ministry notes that a total of 404 Diplomatic Passports and 387 Service Passports remain outstanding, as holders have failed to surrender their passports since the original publication. Individuals within the affected categories are required to surrender their passports by 17th March, 2025, to the Legal and Treaties Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The categories of individuals required to surrender their passports include:
– Former Ministers and Spouses
– Former Members of Parliament irrespective of political affiliation
– Former members of the Council of State and Spouses
– Former/Retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts
– Former Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executive Officers of State Institutions, Chairs and Members of Boards
– Officials of the National Cathedral Project
– Former Political Ambassadors and Dependents
– Businessmen and Entrepreneurs
– Former Government Functionaries
– All other persons holding official passports not currently serving in any official capacity for the State, or otherwise holding any position that falls under the requirements of Sections 6 and 7 of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967, NLCD 155
The Ministry has made it clear that any passports within these categories that are not surrendered by the given deadline will be cancelled and placed on the Stop-Watch List for seizure at any of Ghana’s entry and exit points.