The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Reintegration has firmly stated that there will be no reconsideration of the recent adjustments made to passport application fees.This declaration comes in response to remarks made by Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament and MP for North Tongu, who criticized the new fees as draconian and urged for their reversal.

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As of April 1, the ministry implemented an increase in application fees for passport services, establishing them at GH¢500 for a 32-page standard booklet and GH¢644 for a 48-page standard booklet.Furthermore, expedited services now come with fees of GH¢700 for the 32-page option and GH¢800 for the 48-page option.Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr.

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Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, reiterated that the fees would remain unchanged despite calls for a review.Mr. Ampratwum-Sarpong emphasized the importance of the fee adjustments for investing in and improving service delivery, asserting that any attempts to contest the decision would be unsuccessful.He told journalists: "With the support of the majority of Ghanaians, it has come to stay", adding: "There is nothing he [Mr Ablakwa] can do about it.

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He can make his noise out there. If he wants to bring it to Parliament, we will meet him on the floor of Parliament, we will discuss it and will debate it; and at the end of the day, I can bet my last cedi he will fall flat on his face". "The reason why we are introducing this, like I said, principally, is the fact that we need to invest and improve service delivery", he explained.

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