Why Some Passports Remain Uncollected

During a recent press conference in Accra, Mr Osafo-Maafo highlighted the challenges faced by the passport office when it comes to delivering passports to applicants, where over 86000 Passports Remain Uncollected.

Mr Osafo-Maafo mentioned that some applicants rely on middlemen to complete their passport application forms, resulting in incorrect contact information. As a result, when the office tries to reach out to them using the provided numbers, they are unable to get through. This issue has made it difficult to use courier services to distribute passports.

To address this problem passports remain uncollected, Mr Osafo-Maafo emphasized the need to establish a robust system that can capture accurate and reliable data on passport applicants. By doing so, the passport office will be able to deliver passports to applicants through courier services, albeit for a fee. This solution aims to streamline the process and ensure that passports reach their rightful owners promptly.

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The press conference was part of the Meet-the-Press series, where Mr Osafo-Maafo provided updates on the Public Sector Reform for Results Project (PSRRP). This project, implemented from 2019 to 2023, aimed to improve efficiency and accountability in delivering selected services by various government entities. The World Bank provided a credit facility of $35 million for the project, which was later reduced to $24 million in 2021 to cover 13 ministries, departments, and agencies.

Among the beneficiary institutions of the project were the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), and the ministries of Transport, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI), Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD). The PSRRP played a crucial role in driving positive reforms within these entities and enhancing service delivery to the public.

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The Public Services Commission (PSC), Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCS), Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Monitoring and Evaluation Secretariat (MES), National Information Technology Agency (NITA), and Public Sector Reform Secretariat (PSRS) are some of the key institutions involved in service delivery. Mr Osafo-Maafo highlighted the positive impact of the investment in the Passport Office operations, leading to significant improvements in biodata capturing.

This has been achieved through the establishment of new biodata capturing booths, resulting in a substantial reduction in waiting times nationwide project has not only enhanced the passport application process but also strengthened organizational performance in beneficiary institutions like the PSC and OHCS. For example, modern video conferencing facilities have been set up to facilitate virtual engagements with stakeholders, leading to improved service delivery and efficiency.

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Additionally, the OHCS successfully cleared a backlog of staff promotions, while the video conferencing platform enabled thousands of interviews to be conducted across the country.