701 diplomatic passport cancelled: List revealed after failure to return

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cancelled 701 diplomatic and service passports for not adhering to the return policies. The cancellation becomes effective on May 6, 2025. They are made up of 341 diplomatic and 360 service passports.

In January 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered a full recall of diplomatic and service passports which were issued during the previous government, particularly naming a broad range of former officials and other individuals required to bring back their travel documents.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs named the holders of such passports as former ministers and their spouses; former members of Parliament within all political identities; retired justices of the Superior and Lower Courts; former regional ministers; metropolitan, municipal, and district chief executives; chief executive officers of state institutions; chairs and members of boards; officials of the National Cathedral Project; former political ambassadors and their dependants; businesspersons; religious leaders; traditional leaders; and other former government officials who were no longer in office.

As per a press statement dated on May 6, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that as a result of the failure or non-compliance of the other holders with the directive, “the underlisted 341 unreturned diplomatic and 360 service passports bearing the following serial numbers have been hereby CANCELLED with immediate effect on the instructions of the Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

The Ministry verified compliance with 407 holders of Diplomatic and 403 Service Passports, who it said returned as required their passports in line with the recall directive as of May 6, 2025.

The ministry has therefore published the serial numbers of the specified 701 diplomatic and service passports, informing the public that they have been cancelled with immediate effect on the instructions of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

CANCELLATION OF DIPLOMATIC AND SERVICE PASSPORTS

ACCRA, 6TH MAY, 2025 – In continuation of our public announcement of 15th January, 2025, and 10th March, 2025, regarding the recall of Diplomatic and Service Passports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that, effective on 6th May, 2025, Diplomatic and Service Passports issued to the underlisted category of persons have been CANCELLED and are Not Valid for International Travel:

• Former Ministers and Spouses
• * Former Members of Parliament
• * Former Members of the Council of State and Spouses
• * Former/Retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts
• * Former Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives
• * Former Officers of State Institutions, Chairpersons and Members of Boards
• * Officials of the National Cathedral Project
• * Former Non-Career Ambassadors and Dependents
• * Religious and Traditional Leaders
• * Businessmen and Entrepreneurs
• * Former Government Functionaries and
• * All other persons holding official passports not currently serving in any official capacity for the State or otherwise holding any position that falls under the requirements of sections 6 and 7 of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967(NLCD 155)

The Ministry accepts compliance with 407 holders of Diplomatic and 403 Service Passports, who returned their passports in accordance with regulations as of 6th May, 2025.

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