The Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa has cautioned men of God and individuals against defacing the newly introduced chip-embedded passports, in the name of seeking spiritual intervention in their quest to travel abroad.
According to Samuel Okdudzeto Ablakwa, the anointing of the chip-embedded passport will compromise the security features.
He asserted that men of God can anoint other parts of your body and leave out the new chip-embedded Ghana passport.
Speaking at the launch event at the Passport Headquarters in Accra, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated, “Recently I was alarmed when I saw on some channel people sending their passports for ointing oil for men of God to pray so when they go for their visa interview automatically they will get their visa.
Please we beg you, this new chip-embedded passport you and your men of God, they cannot anoint other parts of your body, but please leave out the passport because it will compromise the security features and it won’t work.
“No more anointing oil on the passport”, he added.
Ablakwa has also announced that the new chip-embedded passports have 175 security features.
He further revealed that the new passport has 175 security features compared to the old one, which has only 32 security features.
According to him, the Introduction of a 24-hour passport processing service, Courier delivery of passports to applicants’ doorsteps, electronic tracking, and a 30% reduction in passport application fees.
Ablakwa further announced that the issuance of the new chip-embedded passports will not exceed 15 days.
Ablakwa added, “It is the first time sector players within the sector put in concerted effort to provide extra security input that is to be detected at the front lines to the second and third lines, in strict compliance to the standards of the ICAO travel document framework.
“The incorporation of nanotechnology into the protective overlays on the bio page, adds an extra layer of security, thereby upgrading the overall security input in terms of features, from 32 to over 150 overt and covert security features in his new chip-embedded passport.
“The integration of Micro Frequency Identification Chip that encodes and stores variable data of the bearer from the visual inspection, photo and machine-readable, crowns the holistic package of an international standard travel document with first-class document security approved by ICAO,” he stated.
The new e-passports are designed to meet international standards while showcasing Ghana’s cultural identity.
Their design incorporates iconic Adinkra symbols like Fawohodie (Freedom and Independence) and Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu (Democracy and Cooperation).
Watch the video below:
“You can anoint other parts of your body and leave out the new chip-embedded Ghana passport”
– The Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa has cautioned against individuals defacing the newly introduced chip embedded passports, in the name of seeking spiritual… pic.twitter.com/xEnUWS42vZ
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) April 28, 2025
