The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has issued a stern final notice to individuals still holding onto Diplomatic and Service Passports from the previous administration, demanding their immediate return by Monday, March 17, 2025.
This renewed push follows an earlier directive issued on January 15, 2025, and comes in response to a mandate from the Office of the President to sanitize the issuance of privileged travel documents and ensure they are held only by those currently serving the state.
According to the Ministry, a total of 791 official passports—404 Diplomatic and 387 Service Passports—remain unreturned, raising concerns about potential misuse of state-issued privileges.
Who Must Return Their Passports?
The Ministry has outlined a comprehensive list of individuals expected to comply with the directive, including:
- Former Ministers and their spouses
- Former Members of Parliament (across all political lines)
- Ex-Council of State members and their spouses
- Retired Justices from both Superior and Lower Courts
- Past Regional Ministers, MMDCEs, board chairs, and members of state entities
- Officials formerly involved in the National Cathedral Project
- Former political ambassadors and their dependents
- Private businesspersons, entrepreneurs, and ex-government appointees
- Any individual currently in possession of an official passport but no longer serving the state
Consequences of Non-Compliance
The Ministry has emphasized that non-returned passports will be automatically cancelled after the deadline and flagged on the national Stop-Watch List. This means holders could face immediate confiscation of the passports at Ghanaian airports and border posts, as well as possible further scrutiny or sanctions.
Where to Return the Passports
Holders are to submit the passports to the Legal and Treaties Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration without delay.
This move forms part of the government’s broader efforts to restore integrity and accountability to the use of official state credentials, and to prevent unauthorized international travel under privileged diplomatic status.
As the clock ticks toward the March 17 deadline, the Ministry is urging all affected individuals to comply or face the full consequences of retaining invalid official documents.
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