On Monday, December 2, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo officially launched Ghana’s chip-embedded passport in Accra.
At the ceremony, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, and the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, handed over the first chip-embedded passport to the President.
The project, initiated in 2016 under the Passports and Travel Certificates Act of 1967 (NLCD 155), aims to align Ghanaian passports with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations and global biometric identification standards.
The Foreign Ministry partnered with Biometric Travel Solutions Limited, a private Ghanaian company, through a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) arrangement to bring the project to fruition.
President Akufo-Addo, in his remarks, said: “Today is a day of pride and joy for our beloved country, Ghana. Standing here, I am filled with excitement and optimism as we launch a transformative initiative that will enhance how we connect with the world—the e-Passport.”
“This moment goes beyond technology or government policy. It is a statement about who we are and the journey we are on as a people. The e-passport is not just a travel document. It is a symbol of our progress, our resilience, and our readiness to embrace the future with confidence.”
