Ghana card, birth certificate name issues stall processing of chip-embedded passports

Ghana card, birth certificate name issues stall processing of chip-embedded passports

By: Nii Ammui Fio | 3 mins read

Inconsistencies between names on Ghana Cards and birth certificates are hindering the timely processing of Ghana’s new chip-embedded passports, according to officials at the Accra Passport Office.

Felix Nyarku, Director of the Passport Office in Accra, revealed that mismatched personal details across applicants' identity documents remain a major challenge. He raised the concern during a recent working visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.

According to Mr. Nyarku, such discrepancies significantly delay the issuance of the upgraded biometric travel documents, as officers are required to conduct further verification to avoid errors or fraudulent entries.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has disclosed that a total of 8,463 Ghanaians have so far received their chip-embedded passports nationwide.

In a post on X dated May 17, Mr. Ablakwa stated, "Mahama’s government is here to serve you diligently, and to keep our pledges to you," while expressing satisfaction over the ongoing distribution effort.

Earlier this month, on May 9, the minister personally took part in the delivery of the first batch of the chip-embedded passports. Accompanied by Ghana Post staff, he visited selected applicants to hand over their passports at the delivery addresses they had provided.

During the deliveries, Mr. Ablakwa used the opportunity to educate recipients on how to care for the new passport, which includes a biographical data page made of layered polymer compressed into a solid substrate. He advised holders to avoid bending the document, especially by placing it in back pockets, and to keep it away from heat and liquids.

In his message, Mr. Ablakwa also warned against storing other chip-embedded cards within the passport, as this may interfere with the RFID chip’s functionality. Attempting to tamper with or split the biographical page, he said, would permanently damage the document.

To ensure safety and document integrity, the Passport Office has introduced tamper-evident delivery packages. The newly launched passport platform was developed in partnership with Biometric Travel Solutions, with courier operations led by Troskit and Ghana Post. The distribution model now operates on a 24-hour service basis to promote speed and efficiency.

Applicants facing delivery issues due to address problems will be allowed to collect their documents from designated Ghana Post outlets at no extra cost. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured the public of continued prompt delivery through the national courier service.

As part of its oversight role, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs also toured other key agencies including the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) to better understand operational bottlenecks.

In a briefing at the Ministry, Chief Director Ambassador Ramses J. Cleland emphasized the need to enhance Ghana’s border security through Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, and the use of anticipatory threat models.

At the AICC, committee members were informed of several infrastructural and administrative challenges facing the facility. Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, commended the institutions visited for their dedication and openness.

“We are grateful for the concerns you have shared and thankful for the opportunity to engage with you,” he said, encouraging continued efforts to promote Ghana as a beacon of progress in Africa.