GHANAIAN PERCEPTION ABOUT NEW ONLINE BIOMETRIC PASSPORT.

Ghanaian perception about new online biometric passport.

For the purpose of identification and international travel, passport is a must have for each and every citizen of any country globally (Paintsil, 2018). Despite the relevance of this piece of document, it is sudden to come to the realization that Ghanaians have to employ unthinkable means to acquire passports in the country (Paintsil, 2018). The thought has always been that, people just wanted to channel their emotions and frustrations to the government when they complain about the difficulties they go through to get their passports, until one personally joins over a 100-person long queue between the hours of 3:00 am and 5:00 am at the Passport Office in Accra (Paintsil, 2018).

Having to reflect on an advice by a colleague who had his passport four years ago where he narrated all the problems he had to endure including the dawn-time queuing to finally get the Ghanaian Passport (Ibid). I did not really bother upon embarking on a journey to the passport office and mentioned to him that, this was 2015 and things must be different there by now. To utter surprise, five years down the line, things were even worse with passport acquisition in Ghana (Paintsil, 2018).

On the 21^st of December, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration launched the online passport application service for Ghanaians to ease the mode of application while ensuring maximum security for applicants (Gov’t of Ghana, 2016). This described as the e-Government strategy is targeted at ensuring the use of information technology to provide citizens with efficient passport services through a secure, fast and convenient means (Gov’t of Ghana, 2016).The introduction of the online version [PDF] forms part of measures to make passport forms readily accessible to all Ghanaians and that from November 1, 2018, more focus is on the online version (Gov’t of Ghana, 2016). The online application service is anticipated to help reduce the involvement of middle men in the passport acquisition process; reduce typographical errors and shorten the data capturing procedures currently carried out at the passport application centres as well as speed up the work flow for the passport processing and enhance passport service delivery. According to the Ministry (2016), helping to eliminate middlemen popularly known as ‘Goro boy’s whose illegal activities have perpetuated bribery and corrupt activities within the passport acquisition processes, is one of the focus of the online system (Gov;t of Ghana, 2016).

It is also aimed at injecting efficiency and reliability in passport service delivery and eliminate the existing difficulties that have bedevilled passport acquisition in Ghana (Ibid). Biometric passports, also known under names like e- Passport or ePassport, represent a combination between paper and electronic passport which is using biometrics to authenticate the identity of travellers. A biometric passport uses contactless smart card2 technology, being composed from a microprocessor chip (computer chip) and antenna which are embedded in the front or back cover, or on the middle of the page (Ibid).

PROBLEM

The challenges (Long wait in queues), that had surrounded the application for passport over the years necessitated the adoption of the online passport service by the ministry of Foreign Affairs (Gov’t of Ghana, 2016). An applicant would have to visit passport.mfa.gov.gh or passports.mfa.gov.gh after which he or she would be required to create an account with valid and active mobile number as well as email address (optional) as a new user or log in as an existing user (Gov’t of Ghana, 2016). The applicant would then be required to complete the passport form after which he or she would be required to select a preferred passport application center (PAC) from the available list (Gov’t of Ghana, 2016). The final stage of the application is the visitation of the selected PAC on the date of appointment with the appointment slip and relevant original documents to complete the process (Ibid).

Despite all these efforts by the government of Ghana, the new online system is not appreciated by a section of the population (Asamoah, 2017). Persons still lament about how complicated the process is stating unequivocally that, as 33% of the Ghanaian population not able to read nor write and with the lack of understanding of Information Technology processes, the new biometric system will fully not serve its purpose as many might not patronise it (Asamoah, 2017). Therefore, it is imperative to examine public perception about the new online biometric passports application system.

THE NEW BIOMETRIC PASSPORT

The biometric passport service is inherent in the e-Government strategy according to Hannah Tetteh (2016). She further added that, “The e-Government strategy is targeted at ensuring the use of information technology to provide citizens with efficient passport services through a secure, fast and convenient means.” (H. Tetteh, 2016).  H. Tetteh (2016) said the challenges that had surrounded the application for passport over the years necessitated the adoption of the online passport service by the ministry adding that “it is aimed at addressing the existing difficulties that bedevilled passport acquisition in Ghana”. In her concluding remarks, H.Tetteh (2016) mentioned that, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would make every effort to deliver the highest levels of customer service and maintain the integrity and international standing of the Ghana passport. In addition to the online application, a decision had been reached by the Government of Ghana to establish application centres’ in some six regions in the country to offer requisite services to Ghanaians in need of travel documents (Foreign Affairs Ministry, 2016).

A biometric passport has other popular names like a digital passport or an e-passport. The microprocessor chip in this traditional passport has biometric which can easily identify the owner. The biometric passport use a unique technology referred to as countless smart card. The interesting bit about this biometric passport is that no one can forge it that easily, you either need to spend a lot of cedis to forge it or give up. This is because chip stores all the critical information and it has a public key infrastructure that can only authenticate that data. Biometric Passport in Ghana. A biometric passport have to have iris, fingerprints, and facial recognition. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Doc 9303 is where the chip characteristic of the biometric passport get documented. The documents characteristics are also documented there. New Biometric Passports. Government of Ghana decided after a keen thought that there was a need to issuance new biometric services and biometric diplomatic passports. This came up as a way of reducing fake travel documents, and applications in the country. They wanted to unify the country and suggestion needed a prompt action from 18th September 2009. The old passports were not be used once Ghana Biometric Passport Deadline reached and that was on 31st April 2010. Biometric passport Ghana requirements for a first time and when renewal is different. Here are the requirements for a first time Ghanaian applicant:

• You need a birth certificate to prove that you are a citizen of Ghana.
• You need an evidence to support you are fully a Ghanaian by maybe using your national ID card or you can use your Driver’s License.
• Either you are a student or employed, you need a proof to truly tell your profession. A student ID, a work ID, or business registration certificate for the self- employed Ghanaians.

If you need a renewal for your biometric Passport if stolen or damaged there is a procedure and requirements that you need. If it was damaged, you will require showing that damaged passport and affidavit. And in the case your biometric passport was stolen or maybe you misplaced it, you need the following:

• Your birth certificate
• An abstract report from the police
• Proof that you are a Ghanaian Affidavit

And if you need to change your passport names, here is a list of all you will require:

• A gazette
• Your marriage or divorce certificate
• Affidavit

What are the Requirements for a Ghanaian of below the Age of 18? If you are a parent or a guardian and you need a biometric passport for you are under age child, you will require:

• Your Identity Card (ID)
• The child’s birth certificate

In applying for the biometric passport, a candidate would first of all have to visit passport.mfa.gov.gh or passports.mfa.gov.gh after which he or she would be mandated to create an account with a genuine and active phone number as well as email address (optional) as a new user or log in as an existing user. The financial institutions for transaction are GCB Bank, Zenith Bank and EcoBank through a payment channel of choice specifically VISA, MasterCard, MTN Mobile Money, and AirtelTigo Money.

The candidate would then be expected to fill and complete the passport form after which they would be expected to select a preferred passport application center (PAC) from the available list. The final stage of the application is to visit the selected PAC on the appointment date with the appointment slip and necessary original documents to finish the process.

In all, the new online biometric passport application system has been a success in the Madina Municipality as the people have a good perception about it. Out of 7143 persons within the municipality per the municipality database, 5000 representing 70% are said to have understood and have accepted it. Again, out of 7143 people, 3214.35 constituting 45% of persons are said to have successfully conducted the passport application process.

 

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