International relations expert Dr. Vladimir Antwi-Danso has urged the government to tighten the process for issuing diplomatic and service passports in Ghana.
Speaking to Citi News, Dr. Antwi-Danso emphasized the need for a more rigorous process, stating, “The issuance process should be tightened. In fact, everywhere I have met persons with diplomatic passports or special passports, they are working for the state. Their work is such that it serves the state purpose. But here, it is linkages and whom you know and ‘homeboyism’ kind of attitude towards all these.”
He further cautioned, “We should be very careful because when you are holding a diplomatic passport and you do anything untoward, it brings about a big problem between the host country where you are and Ghana. That is why we need to tighten the criteria. We need to make it so tough in acquiring it.”
Dr. Antwi-Danso’s comments come after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration released a list of individuals affected by President John Dramani Mahama’s directive to recall passports issued under the previous administration.