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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Friday, 17th July 2026, presented the first batch of replacement passports to victims of the devastating floods that struck parts of Accra on Monday, 29th June 2026. The ceremony, held at the Ministry’s premises in Accra, formed part of a special intervention initiated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), to replace, free of charge, passports that were lost or damaged during the disaster.
Presiding over the ceremony on behalf of the Hon.Minister was the Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Khadija Idrissu. She was supported by the Coordinating Director for Political and Economic Affairs, Ambassador Harold Adlai Agyeman; the Coordinating Director for Multilateral and International Organisations, Ambassador Francis Danti Kotia; and the Head of the Delivery Unit, Ambassador Alexander Grant Ntrakwa.
In her remarks, Ambassador Khadija Idrissu recalled that following the Ministry’s public announcement on 3rd July 2026 inviting victims whose passports had been destroyed or damaged by the floods to submit applications for replacement, the Ministry had received approximately 500 applications. She explained that all applications were undergoing thorough verification to ensure they met the established criteria and announced that the 100 passports being presented constituted the first batch, with subsequent batches to be issued upon completion of the ongoing screening process.
The Chief Director noted that the initiative, undertaken at no cost to beneficiaries as part of the Ministry’s corporate social responsibility, reflected the Government’s commitment to easing the burden on citizens affected by the disaster. She commended the Hon.Minister for his leadership and compassion in directing the intervention and also praised the dedication of staff of the Ministry and the Passport Office for working diligently to expedite the processing of the applications.
Ambassador Idrissu further underscored the importance of Ghana’s values of unity, compassion and communal support, stressing that the Ministry’s intervention was inspired by the belief that when one Ghanaian suffers, the nation has a collective responsibility to provide support. She assured applicants whose passports were yet to be issued that processing was ongoing and that every effort was being made to complete the remaining batches as quickly as possible.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Richmond Debrah expressed profound appreciation to the Hon.Minister, the Management and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their swift and compassionate response. He observed that the floods had imposed significant hardships on many families, including the loss of essential travel documents, and noted that replacing the passports individually would have been financially challenging for many victims. He described the Ministry’s intervention as a timely gesture that had restored hope, confidence and peace of mind to the beneficiaries, while demonstrating the Government’s commitment to the welfare of its citizens. Mr. Debrah concluded by offering heartfelt gratitude and prayers for God’s continued guidance and strength for the leadership and staff of the Ministry.
The presentation of the first batch of replacement passports underscores the Ministry’s commitment to responsive public service delivery and its determination to support Ghanaians during periods of national emergency, while ensuring that affected citizens are able to regain access to essential travel documents without additional financial burden.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Ghana.
