The Chairman of the five-member interim Hajj Taskforce established by the president to oversee activities related to the Hajj pilgrimage, Alhaji Collins Dauda, has praised President John Mahama for his decision to establish a satellite office of the passport office at the Hajj Village.
According to him, the move, which was personally directed by President Mahama, aims to streamline the process for Muslim pilgrims to acquire passports in preparation for their pilgrimage to Mecca.
“So this year, President Mahama in his wisdom decided to set up a satellite office of the passport office at the Hajj Village here,” Dauda said.
He added “In order that it will be easy for pilgrims to acquire their passports, true to his word, he directed the Minister for Foreign Affairs to set up this satellite office, which has just been commissioned.”
The newly established office at the Hajj Village is expected to significantly reduce the waiting time for passport applications.
Speaking at the Hajj Village on Tuesday, 4th March, Mr Dauda expressed his satisfaction with the move, emphasising its positive impact on the Muslim community and the pilgrimage process in Ghana.
“We are told that the maximum it will take for an applicant to get a passport is three days. I mean, we should be happy for this. So as Muslims, we are extremely happy this morning. This is good news for us, it enhances the process of pilgrimage in this country,” Dauda said.
With the introduction of a more efficient passport processing system for Hajj pilgrims, the government aims to eliminate bureaucratic delays and ensure a seamless travel experience.
In announcing the new centre, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said as part of the intervention, the cost of expedited passport processing has been reduced to make it more affordable for pilgrims.
“In collaboration with the government, we are pleased to announce that the cost of expedited passport processing has been subsidised. Instead of the usual GH¢700, applicants will now pay GH¢500 for a 32-page passport, which will be processed within just three (3) days,” Mr Ablakwa revealed.