Vice President of IMANI-Africa, Bright Simons, in a thought-provoking response to recent speculation about a potential 500% increase in passport application fees, has taken to X (Twitter) to question the government's transparency and accuracy in presenting facts when introducing policies.

Mr Simons, reacting to a publication by Aviation Ghana.com titled "Ghana to charge GHC 500 as passport application fee?", expressed skepticism about the government's motives. His tweet suggested that government officials might be manipulating facts to support their agenda, stating, "Anytime Ghanaian govt officials want to push a policy, the facts are the 1st victims!"

The article in question, reported strong indications that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration was contemplating a significant upward adjustment of passport application fees. Presently, regular service costs GHC 100 (US$8), while expedited service is GHC 150 (US$13). The speculated proposal hints at a potential increase from US$8 to US$40.

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, cited in the article, reportedly justified the potential fee hike, claiming that the current fees are insufficient to cover the expenses of procuring, processing, and issuing passports. He emphasized that Ghana's passport is heavily subsidized, being the cheapest in the West African sub-region.

“Our passport happens to be the cheapest in the whole West African Sub-region. Ghana passport cost 8 dollars, the next cheapest is Liberia [which charges] 40 dollars. The supplier of the Liberian and Ghanaian passport booklet is the same company. So our passport is heavily subsidized. The money that we are supposed to use to buy the computers and the printers to be able to provide quick service delivery is being used to subsidized the passport that people apply for, ” he is quoted to have said.

Mr Simons, however, countered these claims by pointing out discrepancies in this reasoning. He highlighted the importance of presenting accurate figures and questioned whether officials should give citizens a basis for mistrust by citing potentially false information.

"Foreign Ministry wants to increase passport fees by 500%. Excuse is that Ghana's fees are the cheapest in the region. Dep Minister cites a string of wrong facts to push agenda. A. Nigeria charges ~$11/$18 for 32-page booklet & $25 for 64-page booklet (official exch rate; lower for market rate). B. Gambia charges $14.5 for 64-page booklet C. Ghana charges $8 for 32-page booklet & $12.5 for 64-page (standard) BUT $12.5/32-page & $16.5/64-page EXPEDITED, he wrote.

He added, "In short, depending on the size & mode of application (standard/expedited), Ghanaian passports can be more expensive than other countries'. Ghanaian passports may well be cheap comparatively. But should Officials give citizens a basis for mistrust by citing false figures?"

It's crucial to note that the proposed fee increase, as reported by Aviation Ghana.com, is yet to be officially confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. The uncertainty surrounding the information adds an element of caution to the ongoing discussions. As citizens await official confirmation, Simons' skepticism underscores the need for transparency and accuracy in government communications, particularly when proposing significant policy changes.

In addition to the potential fee increase, the article also touched on the government's plans to introduce chip-embedded passports in 2024, gradually phasing out the current biometric passports. This shift aligns with international requirements and aims to enhance security.