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Chip-Embedded Passport Rollout Was Akufo-Addo Gov’t Achievement, Not New Initiative- Jinapor
Samuel A. Jinapor, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, has issued a firm rebuttal to claims that Ghana’s recent rollout of chip-embedded biometric passports is a new initiative by the current administration.
In a press release dated May 6, 2025, Jinapor clarified that the comprehensive passport upgrade was fully developed, financed, and implemented under the former Akufo-Addo government and warned against what he called a “distortion of the facts” by those attempting to claim undue credit.
“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,” Jinapor stated.
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He described the current government’s recent activities surrounding the passport as a “purported re-launch”, labelling it unnecessary and misleading.
According to Jinapor, the groundwork for Ghana’s compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) 2013 TRIP Strategy began in earnest under Akufo-Addo in 2017, when the administration prioritised it as part of its broader digitalisation agenda.
Jinapor went on to provide a detailed account of how 25th Century Technology Limited and Buck Press Limited were selected through a competitive process and formed Biometric Travel Solutions Limited to execute the project.
He highlighted that the project was developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), shielding the state from major financial commitments.
“This model ensured Ghana didn’t have to incur huge debts to upgrade our passport systems,” he noted, calling it a landmark achievement in public procurement and national digital infrastructure.
The MP for Damongo also noted that by December 2, 2024, the chip-embedded passport was officially launched by then-President Akufo-Addo. At the time, 50,000 biometric passport booklets were ready, and another 200,000 were on order—setting the stage for a seamless nationwide rollout.
“What the current government ought to be doing is focusing on the efficient distribution of the passports—not holding ceremonial relaunches for a completed project,” Jinapor said.
He described attempts to repackage and claim the project as a new initiative as a disservice to transparency and institutional continuity.
“This is not about partisan points—it’s about giving credit where it is due and protecting the integrity of state-led policy continuity,” he said.
Jinapor concluded by reaffirming the minority’s commitment to defending the truth and promoting policies that genuinely serve Ghanaians.
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