New Ghana Passports delay in Washington DC

Dear Sir,

CONCERNED GHANAIAN WHAT IS THE MATTER?

My passport expired today. I applied for a renewal of passport or better still a New passport over a month ago.

I have been waiting to attend my Dad's funeral this Friday and I need to be in Ghana at all cost.

So what is the matter for the delay? The hearsay is various and have become almost unbelievable. Some of the reasons are the passport printing machine is broken down.

You may ask yourself. Is there just one passport printing machine in the whole embassy?

The other is, the passports are changing into biometric. And they have got the machines but have not finished training the staff to operate it.

When you hear all the stories about why passports are been processed in such a slow pace you will begin be unconvinced.

The situation had lead to a overcrowding akin to hoarding which in turn does lead to a patronage tendency and whom you know. You will then wonder why "competence" has been thrown to the dogs.

I do not want to believe this was ever happening but it is begining to unfold in gront of my own eyes these past weeks.

I am almost helpless but also to with a heavy heart to take this route to make the authorities; the Ambassador, Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs to ask the right questions.

And the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be aware of the dire situation in the American Embassy.

I have made all contacts by phone and email which they will push you to do anytime you call, to no avail. There is no one to anwser any questions, while transferred calls to Ex. 520 seem like a ploy to get you off their back because messages are never responded to.

Could someone call me and tell me when at all the passport will be ready since my passport expired today.

I have asked some aquaintances to also inquire for me also but it's like everyday is a new story so absurd that I do not want to repeat in this medium.

I am not sure about all the things I hear but wondered if the Ghana Embassy needed help at all.

A broken machine can be fixed or repeared and at a snap of a finger in America, if you ask me. A new could be bought or could also be leased.

Is it also true that the printing machines being operated is about 30 years old? I am being conservative here.

I am reliably informed that there are three stages or three sets of machine that is used to process one passport.

So if one is not working then nothing can be done. Does it mean we are operating an old printing press here for passports. It will also mean there will be three staff so assuming one is sick, a snow storm or even heavy rains and a colleague does not get to work there will be further stampede.

I think if in American none of the above solutions or any others could not be found.

The reasons for the technical difficulties are not properly communicated to Ghanaian clients wishing to travel to Accra for various emergencies don't you think we have a problem?

Supposing and everyone knows that the world economy revolves round the United States. Today everything could be purchased with a click of a button and it is delivered in a day depending on where it is coming from or at most after a week as far away as from China.Why can't we buy a modern all in one machine?

When passports are made they are not for free. Some have paid fees that the current situation has made nonsene of the expedite 5 days completion timeframe that they were promised.

If you go to the Embassy you are unable to enter. There is no one to talk to except security at the gate. These people are helpless too and are unable to say anything concrete to us.

I find it absurd especially for the fact that this is not the first time I am making a new passport in the Embassy of Ghana Washington NW.

I have made three new passports under Ambassador Spio- Gabrah, under the Kufuor and also under late President Atta-Mills' Ambassador and there have never been such delays. It was delivered as promised. My recent passport though from Accra.

Under such circumstances, any attempt to get information about the status of an application does not see the light of day as to a coherent answer from anyone. The gates of the Embassy seem like a huge Berlin Wall.

As for those thousands who never had the chance to go for Christmas due to the unclear circumstances I am sorry for them.

It will be unclear how much money has been lost to the economy because Christmas and soon to become Easter travel is the time for Ghanaians to return home.

There are many of whom are our best tourists because they prefer to keep their Ghanaian nationality rather than a foreign one.

It is therefore sad the amount of tourist dollars and remittances that have been lost to the country.

Since we all know remittance of Ghanaians overseas makes a big chunk of revenue and cash injection into our economy. Almost second to cocoa proceeds.

I have been informed by others who got passports only after two long months of waiting and some hearding into three months waiting.

It is my estimation that if the quickest solution is not found and soon in this election year it could result in negative image for this regime and the fact that such news do spread fast who knows what will happen. Thank you

Source:

Doe, James W. (Dr.)

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