‘This is what we call government’ — Shatta Wale rejoices over passport fee reduction

Ghanaian reggae-dancehall musician Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, has praised the John Mahama-led NDC government for the reduction in passport application fees.

The self-acclaimed dancehall king described the move as a mark of good governance, suggesting that Ghanaians had been exploited in the past.

“Mahama Ogbooooo. This is what we call government and governance. Herrrrrhhh dem scam we bad for this country oooo ..Thanks to this new government GODISHERE,” he wrote in a social media post on Thursday, March 13.

His reaction follows an announcement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in Parliament that the fee for an ordinary passport booklet will be reduced from GHS500 to GHS350.

The Ministry is seeking an amendment to the Fees and Charges Act to implement this reduction.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, March 13, the North Tongu MP also revealed plans to transition from the current biometric passport to a chip-embedded passport system with door-to-door delivery.

Under the previous government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration had increased passport fees, with the new charges taking effect on April 1, 2024.

At the time, the Ministry explained in a statement that the decision was in line with the 2023 Fees and Charges Regulations, L.I. 2481. It