Securing a Ghanaian passport is no joke, perhaps paying bribe or seeking for the service of middleman is the coolest deal as it works faster.
Until my experience (which I am yet to share with you), I had heard stories of how stressful it was to secure or renew a Ghanaian passport but it never really sunk in till now.
Well, this was not the first time I was applying for a passport (I actually have one) but there was the need to secure the new bio-metric passport since some countries including South Africa no longer accepted the old black passport.
Weeks ago, I was excited after reading a publication online that suggested that one could now bypass all the stress and hustle in securing a passport by applying for the “almighty” Ghanaian passport online. However, my happiness was short-lived as the process was no different from the usual purchase of forms from various banks and post offices across the country.
The Beginning of the wahala
After logging on to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and going through a number of documents just to be abreast with the requirements in securing the bio-metric passport, I went ahead to purchase an express application form which costs me GHC100 unlike the regular application form which costs GHC50.
It is however sad to state that there’s very little or no difference between paying for an express service or regular service.
After filling a number of pages with basic and perhaps other very unnecessary information (since these details were submitted in securing my first passport), I was shocked when after the process, I could not select any other application center apart from Accra. The drop down menu showed only Accra!!
I mean HOW? Why can’t my biodata be captured at the Kumasi passport office? Why couldn’t I submit the forms to the Kumasi passport office than Accra? These were some of the questions I asked myself until I called one of the telephone numbers indicated on the website only to be told submission could only be done in Accra for online applications.
I mean why was that not stated on the site so others just like myself could avoid that hustle? In this day of technology?
I no bore.
Well, I looked beyond that and set an appointment date which was only possible two weeks from the date I had finished the online application process.
On the stated date, I left Kumasi (a 5 hour journey by road) to meet a long queue at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (a very frustrating experience) which I joined. We could barely move and sat at the same spot for hours.
Later when we were made to climb up (an air-conditioned room at least to keep us cool), we sat waiting for a grown man in spectacles who would answer 10 phone calls and attend to one applicant. At least, I then understood why we sat outside for hours.
Well, thank God I finish with him and moved to the next office where the biometric data (fingerprints) and photographs were taken. I was then given a pick sheet with details as to when I could return to Accra to pick the passport.
The date indicated on the form was a month away so I breathed a sigh of relief hoping to pick up the passport a month later.
The Wahala Continues.
After 6 weeks, I made myself available at the Ministry of Finance with the aim of picking up my ‘prestigious’ Ghanaian passport but that was another hell of an experience.
After joining a long queue of potential passport receivers and submitting the document which showed when I was to appear for the passport, I sat hours unending only to be told my passport was not ready at the close of working day.
After being given my document, I saw a PQ inscription on it and as inquisitive as I was, I asked what that mean. I was then told my passport would be ready the next day (Thursday). Frustrated as I was, I asked the officer, (one Patrick) if it would really be available the next day since I had sought for a day permission from work and I was coming in from Kumasi.
His response was indeed the rudest I had ever experienced from a public servant. Looking into my eyes, he said in Twi “Na koda Movinpick er” which means “but go and sleep at Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra (one of the most expensive hotels) and rest for the next day.
Well, sleeping at Movinpick would not have been a problem since I could afford a night or more days at the place but his posture at saying that was what pissed me off. Well, “I had my fingers in his mouth and could not hit his head”.
Not so sure if I could really receive the passport the next day as Patrick (the staff) had assured based on his rude attitude, I drew closer to two other officers who also confirmed the PQ inscription on my document meant I would receive it the next day.
I left hoping I could pick up my passport the next day with the assurances from other offices but the assurances only remained a mere saying and nothing else as I got to the office the next day, joined the regular process of sitting for hours before my documents were collected.
Well, before my forms were submitted, (Patrick) who had acted rude the previous day looked at the form and stated authoritatively the passport was readily available and that I only needed get a photocopy of the forms for him. Well, I felt a bit happy that after all the stress, I was going to receive my passport.
I followed due process, got a photocopy from one shop just on the premises and submitted it to him. I then sat patiently among others waiting for the passports.
After almost 2 hours, here came the ‘God’ who everyone was awaiting with a number of passports and photocopied sheets. He started calling out names and just like it is done after a teacher marks school exams, I couldn’t sit at ease knowing I had not received my passport yet.
Lo and behold, my name was mentioned but my passport was still not ready. What the heck? What could be wrong? Patrick then approached me with some numbers written on my form and asked if I could return on Friday.
Are we serious?
Like, what the f**k is happening, I asked? How do you expect me to call my employers and request for another day off just to stay in Accra wait for my passport (which I could not even guarantee would be ready) when I had given myself a two weeks period after the allocated time of collection?
Obviously, I couldn’t spend any other minute in Accra but to get on board the next available bus to Kumasi. As I type, I’m sure my passport would only be available a year later.
As it stands, the status of my applications sits at Awaiting Processing and I wonder what that even means.
I do not know if the hell on earth experience is to encourage corruption or employ middlemen who could secure the passport in just days or meant to be normal.
In as much as I hate to say this, for many who wish to avoid the experience I went through, it’s better you pay a middleman or offer an officer bribe just so you receive your passport on time in case it’s urgent.
You may just have to ignore notices at the premise that state you need not pay anyone money for your passport. That’s indeed a blatant lie.
Perhaps, our structures are such that, you only need to be corrupt to get things done since I had witnessed a number of people going ‘back door’ and getting their passports done in days?
Well, for any who wants to go through the process, good luck but the system just thought me how to be corrupt and I might just live with that next time.
