By Iddi Yire
Accra, Mar 11, GNA – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a final ultimatum to diplomatic and service passport holders issued by the previous administration to hand them over to its Legal and Treaties Bureau by March 17.
The Foreign Ministry in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency said following the directive by the Office of the President to recall the Diplomatic and Service Passports issued during the previous administration and the subsequent Public announcement issued by the Ministry, dated 15th January, which outlined the category of individuals affected, the Ministry notes that there were a total of 404 Diplomatic Passports and 387 Service Passports, which remain outstanding from holders who failed to surrender their Passports when the original publication was made.
It said individuals who fall within the under-listed category were required to surrender their passports by 17th March, to the Legal and Treaties of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs without fail.
The categories include former Ministers and spouses; former Members of Parliament (MPs) irrespective of political affiliation; former members of the Council of State and spouses; and former/retired Justices of the Superior and lower courts.
The rest are former Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives, Officers of State Institutions, Chairs and Members of Boards; and Officials of the National Cathedral Project.
The rest are former political ambassadors and dependents; businessmen and entrepreneurs; former government functionaries; and all other persons holding official passports not currently serving in any official capacity for the State, or otherwise, holding any position that falls under the requirements of Sections 6 and 7 of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967, NLCD 155. The statement said passports in the above categories not surrendered by the given deadline would be cancelled and placed on the Stop-Watch List for seizure at any of Ghana’s entry and exit points.
GNA