Extortion at passport offices: Workers to wear name tags

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced new steps to combat extortion and mistreatment of applicants at Passport Application Centres.

Among other steps, the Ministry issued cell phone numbers via which applicants might call and report officers who extort money or mistreat them.

Aside from that, staff working at Passport Offices would be obliged to wear name tags to distinguish themselves from the “goro boys.”

“As part of measures to be implemented, all officers will be made to wear name tags. The public is thereby advised not to engage any person who is unable to identify themselves with the issued name tags, as they most likely are middlemen, usually referred to as goro boys”.”

“The Ministry further urges passport applicants to always use the official channel to acquire their passports and desist from engaging unauthorised persons in the passport application process.

Furthermore, officers who have already served more than a year at the PACs will be replaced with immediate effect and the Ministry’s policy of the yearly rotation at the PACS will be enforced to the letter,” it added.

Read the full statement below