Ayorkor Botchwey justifies action against passport officers; says ‘goro boys’ can’t do without their support

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has justified her action against some officers of the passport officers

She sacked the officers for aiding middlemen (Goro boys) to charge between GHS2000 and GHS3000 for passports.

This is in spite of the fact that standard and expedited services for passport acquisition cost GHS100, and GHS150 cedis respectively.

She noted that the issue of ‘Goro boys’ in the passport acquisition process has become rife as reported in the media.

To that end, she embarked on an unannounced visit to the passport office in Accra on Monday, August 14.

After the visit, she told the press that “This particular visit has become very necessary because of some reports that I have. Reports that officers …are involved in illegal activities.

“When I say illegal activities we all know. Just two days ago the reports in the Daily Guide newspaper that the issue of goro people involved in our passport acquisition process has become rife.

“It is wrong. How can One Hundred Ghana Cedis for standard service to acquire a passport and One Hundred and Fifty Cedis for expedited service be bumped up to GHS2000 and GHS3000, it is wrong.

“The goro boys are outside the passport office, they need somebody inside to work with, they cannot do it on their own. People are paying GHS2000, or GHS3000 to acquire a passport? Why should this be so?”