By Josephine Kekeli
The Ranking member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel A. Jinapor, has challenged claims surrounding the nationwide rollout of Ghana’s new chip-embedded passports, stating that the initiative was fully developed and executed under the Akufo-Addo administration.
In a detailed statement released on Monday, May 6, 2025, Jinapor highlighted that the project, launched in its mass phase on April 28, 2025, was not an initiative of the current government but rather the culmination of a long-term strategy initiated by the previous administration.
“Every essential aspect of the chip-embedded passport programme, from policy formulation to contract execution and logistical delivery, was meticulously completed by the Akufo-Addo Government before it was handed over on 7th January 2025,” he emphasised.
According to Jinapor, they traced the origin of the project to international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation in 2013, followed by a government decision in 2017 to modernise the passport system.
He detailed that, the project was executed through a Public Private Partnership involving 25th Century Technology Limited and Buck Press Limited, under the oversight of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. At the time, 50,000 booklets were already in stock, with 200,000 more ordered, positioning the project for a seamless nationwide rollout.
The chip-embedded passports were officially launched on December 2, 2024, with initial booklets printed and ready for distribution before the change in government in January 2025.
Calling the recent event by the current administration a “purported re-launch,” he said it served no functional purpose and described attempts by some government officials to claim credit as “inaccurate and unsupported by the record.”
The Minority Caucus on the Foreign Affairs Committee, he said, remains committed to defending the national interest and ensuring that records are set straight.
“We, the minority Members on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, remain committed to upholding the integrity of our nation and defending her interests, both at home and abroad, and will continue to set the records straight where necessary.”
