Ablakwa Attributes Increase in Passport Fees to Lack of Procurement Competition

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has highlighted non-competitive procurement practices within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the root cause of the recent hike in passport fees.

Ablakwa raised concerns over the monopoly granted to a single entity for passport booklet printing, arguing that this lack of competition does not serve the public’s best interests.

He emphasized the necessity of introducing competition into the procurement process, suggesting that it would lead to a reduction in passport application fees, ultimately benefiting the public.

These remarks come in response to the significant increase in passport fees announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Presently, a 48-page booklet costs GH¢800, while expedited 32-page applications are priced at GH¢700. Standard 32-page booklets are available for GH¢500, with the 48-page variant priced at GH¢644.

During an interview on Metro TV, Ablakwa criticized the absence of competition in passport printing, attributing it to the unnecessary escalation of costs for Ghanaian citizens.

He questioned why only one entity is granted exclusive rights in the passport printing business, arguing that opening up the process to competitive tendering could result in lower costs for citizens.

Ablakwa urged for transparency and fairness in procurement practices to ensure that the burden does not fall disproportionately on ordinary Ghanaians.