Foreign Affairs Ministry presents first batch of free replacement Passports to June 29 flood victims

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has presented the first batch of 100 replacement passports to victims of the June 29 floods in Accra.

This was done under a special scheme to replace, free of charge, passports that were lost or damaged during the disaster.

The presentation forms part of an initiative by Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to ease the burden on affected persons by waiving the cost of replacing their travel documents.

It is to ensure responsive public service delivery and support Ghanaians affected by the floods by restoring access to essential travel documents without additional financial burden.

Ambassador Khadija Idrissu, Chief Director of the Ministry, who represented the Minister, said the Ministry had received about 500 applications after announcing the intervention on July 3 and inviting victims to apply for replacement passports.

She said all applications were undergoing thorough verification to ensure they met the eligibility requirements, adding that the 100 passports presented constituted the first batch.

She assured applicants yet to receive their passports that the screening process was ongoing and that subsequent batches would be issued as soon as verification was completed.

Ambassador Idrissu said the intervention, undertaken as part of the Ministry's corporate social responsibility, demonstrated the Government's commitment to supporting citizens affected by the floods.

She commended the Minister for initiating the exercise and praised officials of the Ministry and the Passport Office for their dedication in processing the applications within a short period.

The Chief Director said the intervention reflected Ghana's values of unity, compassion and solidarity, stressing that the Government had a responsibility to support citizens during periods of hardship.

She reiterated the Ministry's commitment to completing the processing of the remaining applications as quickly as possible.

Mr Richmond Debrah, speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed appreciation to the Minister, the management and staff of the Ministry for what he described as a timely and compassionate intervention.

He said many flood victims had lost vital travel documents and would have struggled to bear the cost of replacing their passports.

Mr Debrah said the initiative had restored hope and confidence to the beneficiaries and demonstrated the Government's commitment to the welfare of its citizens.

GNA