A significant proposal by Ghana’s former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to make the Ghana Card a mandatory requirement for obtaining Ghanaian passports has been embraced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs-designate, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Dr. Bawumia strongly believes that Ghana’s robust national identity system, which already captures all the necessary data for passport applications, removes the need for Ghanaians to endure the additional hassle of a separate biometric and passport application process.
As part of his presidential campaign promises, Dr. Bawumia pledged that, if elected, holders of the Ghana Card would no longer be required to go through the burdensome process of acquiring a passport. Instead, the Ghana Card would be sufficient documentation, enabling Ghanaians to conveniently apply for passports from the comfort of their homes.
During his appearance before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Friday, January 31, 2025, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa fully endorsed Bawumia’s proposal, which was also featured in the 2024 NPP manifesto.
He explained, “We would like to use technology to reform our passport system. I don’t believe Ghanaians who possess a Ghana Card should still be required to go to the passport office for biometrics.”
“If you have a Ghana Card, we should be able to interface with that. It should be possible to sit at home and apply for your passport,” he added.
The minister-designate’s adoption of Dr. Bawumia’s idea has sparked considerable reactions from netizens, with many applauding the former vice president’s forward-thinking vision.