My day at the passport application centre in Accra

I personally dread going to the passport application centre (PAC) in Accra but when old passports get expired or run out of fresh pages, one cannot help but to present one’s self at that dreadful place. Besides, since early last year, the PAC began issuing biometric passports to replace the old type. Though the old and new passports will be running concurrently until 2015, the biometric passports will completely take over from then onwards. Hence, it was under such circumstances that I found myself at the passport application centre in Accra once again.

Prior to my visit, I did a background check on the current procedure for renewing/applying for a Ghanaian passport. On the website of the Ghana Immigration Service, i read the five steps they had outlined on how to acquire a Ghanaian passport. I noticed on their website that the rate for the passport application forms has considerably increased. One could either opt for an express service by purchasing the 100 Gh cedis form or regular service by going for a 50 Gh cedis form.  These forms are available at three main banks: Ecobank, Ghana Commercial Bank and the National Investment Bank.  I went for a regular service form from Ecobank, filled it, attached my old passport and then prepared myself mentally for the ordeal ahead.

Having heard stories about how early queuing begins at the passport office; I dared myself to live up to the challenge.  I arrived at the centre, which is now located behind the burnt-down former Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 4:45 am. To my surprise, people had already started queuing behind the main gate of the PAC. There were actually two queues;  one for people who were born in the Brong-Ahafo Region and the other for those born in the Greater Accra Region.  I was much impressed when I found out that people who showed up with children as well as the elderly were being asked to occupy the front positions in the queues. A third queue, consisting of people who were there to collect their passports, started forming around 6:00am. At 6:20am, an official from the passport office came out and checked our application forms and the supporting documents. He informed applicants, who had attached their birth certificates as evidence of citizenship, that the passport office no longer accepted the old type of birth certificates. Hence, anyone who had one of those should go for the new type which has a greenish background. He then proceeded to give them the contact number for someone who could help facilitate the acquisition of these new types of birth certificates.

The passport application forms, together with their supporting documents, were eventually collected from some of us (about the first 70 people in the queue) at around 6:45am; and at 7:02am, the gates were opened for those of us whose forms had been collected, as well as those who were there for their passports collection, to enter the yard.  The first thing I noticed on entering the yard was chairs which had been arranged under canopies but strangely enough, almost all the seats were already occupied. I am still uncertain about how exactly all those people managed to enter the yard ahead of those of us who had been queuing for hours. A canopy facing the side of the main building was reserved for people who were there for the collection of their passports whilst a greater number of canopies and seats which faced the main entrance to the building were reserved for people who were there to submit their application forms. Two officials sat facing this latter group of people, under a smaller canopy. These officials had the forms which had been collected from us but instead of processing and passing them on, they rather continued receiving more applications forms from people who had somehow evaded the queue outside and had managed to get security to allow them into the yard. I also noticed that some of these non-queuing people who were allowed by security into the yard actually walked directly into the main building to transact whatever business brought them there. We had no choice but to watch what was happening and wait.

At 9:40am, the officials (under the canopy outside) started going through the application forms in batches and called people out to fill certain portions of the forms well, verify some information or provide proof of their occupation.  After this verification, each batch of the forms was taken into the main building, apparently for the information to be entered into their database. Ironically, the loud noise from a nearby lorry station, where someone was busily howling into a megaphone for passengers to Sogakope and Aflao, could be heard much clearer than what the officials were trying to tell us. Well, I was eventually called at 10:38am to provide proof of my occupation and continued waiting for the next stage of the process. At 12:10pm, I was called again, given my old passport and asked to enter the main building for my passport photograph, fingerprints and electronic signature to be taken.  But I had to wait in there for another 32 minutes before it got to my turn. Afterwards, I was asked to check if the information they had entered about me was correct. I was then handed a slip bearing my details which also stated that my passport was going to be ready in three weeks. As I walked out of the PAC, I wished people did not have to spend that amount of time there.

Though the officials may be doing their best under the given circumstances, I still think there are measures which could be put in place to facilitate the process.  I realized for instance, that some people clearly needed assistance in filling the passport application forms. I do not think though that they had to come to the passport application centre to receive this guidance. Rather, the PAC could have representatives at the various banks where the forms are sold to provide people with the needed assistance. It also does not seem right that the forms for first time applicants are processed together with that of people who are just renewing their passports. Moreover, the PAC could have an online system where people who have access to the internet could go and enter their information before submitting their application and supporting documents. That way, the PAC would only have to verify the entered information and proceed to the next step without delay. From what I observed during my visit there, I strongly recommend that the PAC acquires a megaphone. Since applicants have to wait for hours in the yard, it would also be nice if the PAC arranges to provide drinking water for this people as well. Moreover, it would be much appreciated if the PAC could have an online system where people would be able to check the status of their application before going for their passport collection.