The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, has commissioned a new Passport Application Centre in Sefwi Wiawso, in the Western North Region, marking a significant step in government’s drive to decentralise public services.
The facility was officially opened on Tuesday, January 06, 2026, and is expected to ease the burden on applicants who previously had to travel long distances to access passport services.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony at Sefwi Wiawso, the regional capital Mr.Gyakye Quayson said the Sefwi Wiawso centre would help reduce travel costs, delays, and the frustrations associated with passport acquisition, while also curbing the activities of middlemen who exploit applicants.
According to the Minister, for many years, residents of Sefwi Wiawso and surrounding districts were compelled to travel long distances – often to Kumasi or Takoradi – to access passport services.
These journeys were not only costly and time-consuming but also disruptive to livelihoods, particularly for farmers and traders whose daily economic activities could not easily be put on hold.
In some cases, these challenges created opportunities for unscrupulous middlemen to exploit desperate applicants who were in desperate need of Ghanaian passport.
The commissioning of this Centre is a deliberate response to these challenges.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to bringing essential services closer to the people and urged staff of the centre to discharge their duties with professionalism, integrity, and efficiency.
To demonstrate the centre’s readiness, the Deputy Minister personally presented a passport to an applicant who had completed the application process at the Sefwi Wiawso centre.
The Western North Regional Minister, Mr.Petty Wilbert Brentum said the establishment of this Passport Application Centre is not only a fulfillment of a long-standing aspiration of our people, but also a clear demonstration of Government’s commitment to decentralization, equitable development, and improved access to essential public services.
The passport application centre is intended to serve the Western North Region in fulfillment of the Ministry’s strategic objective of making passport service delight and not a night as previous observed.
He lamented that many years, residents of the Western North Region had to travel long distances to access passport services, often at great cost and inconvenience.
The opening of this Centre right here in Sefwi Wiawso brings relief, dignity, and renewed hope to our people.
It will save time, reduce financial burdens, and ensure that passport acquisition is more efficient, secure, and accessible.
He expressed his profound gratitude to His President of the Republic of Ghana for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to inclusive national development.
The Minister was grateful to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and the entire management and staff of the Passport Office for making this project a reality.
He said the facility will undoubtedly contribute to enhanced national security, improved service delivery, and economic empowerment, especially for our youth, traders, students, and professionals who require passports for education, business, and international engagement.
The Western North Regional Minister, Mr. Wilbert Petty Brentum said the establishment of this Passport Application Centre is not only a fulfillment of a long-standing aspiration of our people, but also a clear demonstration of Government’s commitment to decentralization, equitable development, and improved access to essential public services.
The passport application centre is intended to serve the Western North Region in fulfillment of the Ministry’s strategic objective of making passport service delight and not a night as previous observed.
He lamented that many years, residents of the Western North Region had to travel long distances to access passport services, often at great cost and inconvenience.
The opening of this centre right here in Sefwi Wiawso brings relief, dignity, and renewed hope to our people.
It will save time, reduce financial burdens, and ensure that passport acquisition is more efficient, secure, and accessible.
He expressed his profound gratitude to the President of the Republic of Ghana for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to inclusive national development.
The Minister was grateful to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and the entire management and staff of the Passport Office for making this project a reality.
He said the facility will undoubtedly contribute to enhanced national security, improved service delivery, and economic empowerment, especially for our youth, traders, students, and professionals who require passports for education, business, and international engagement.
The ceremony was attended by several traditional authorities from across the Western North Region, including the chiefs and representatives from Sefwi Wiawso, Anhwiaso, and Bekwai Traditional Councils underscoring broad community support for the initiative.
By: Daniel Akwasi Nuako, Sefwi Wiawso
