Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has lashed out at staff at the passport office for allegedly engaging in corruption-related activities that have tarnished the office’s reputation.
The minister
expressed her anger over the constant extortion of money from applicants by
passport workers and “goro boys and girls” to expedite their services.
Madam Botchwey
said that the staff at the passport office work with a cartel of “goro boys and
girls” to manipulate the system.
She stressed the
importance of sanitizing the passport system and, as a result, relieved staff
seconded to the office effective August 21.
She lamented the
accusations that are levelled against politicians when, in fact, some public
and civil servants have been engaging in corruption and corruption-related
activities.
The minister
indicated that an investigation is underway and that the culprits will be
punished if found guilty.
Addressing
journalists, she said, “I told my officers to put up an online system, now the
online system is being manipulated so that people can make money off it. There
are investigations going on, and some names have been mentioned. There’s a
cartel of people who are working with people from inside. Anybody who has been
here for more than one year, from Monday on, please do not come back because
you have been changed. We want to bring some sanity. Every time, we say,
politicians are corrupt, meanwhile, it is some public and civil servants who
will do things that shouldn’t be done, and then they will be put it on
politicians. We are trying to bring sanity into the system but no”.
Shirley Ayorkor
Botchwey also wants all serving security service personnel stationed at the
Passport Office in Accra to be sacked.
Madam Botchwey
says the personnel have overstayed their duration at the Passport Office.
Speaking to
journalists after a surprise to the Passport Office, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
says it’s unacceptable that Ghanaians pay over GH¢3000 to acquire a passport
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