The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cancelled 701 diplomatic and service passports because the holders failed to return them as directed.

The cancellation takes effect from May 6, 2025.

They are made up of 341 diplomatic and 360 service passports.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January 2025 directed a recall of all Diplomatic and Service Passports issued during the previous administration, specifically naming a broad range of former officials and other individuals required to return their travel documents.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs named the bearers of such passports as former ministers and their spouses, former Members of Parliament across all political affiliations, retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts, former Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, chairs, and members of boards, officials of the National Cathedral Project, former Political Ambassadors and their dependants, businesspersons, religious leaders, and traditional leaders and other former government functionaries who were no longer serving in official roles.

In a press statement dated, May 6, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that owing to the failure or refusal of the other holders to comply with the directive, "the underlisted 341 unreturned Diplomatic and 360 Service Passports bearing the following serial numbers have been hereby CANCELLED with immediate effect on the instructions of the Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs."

The Ministry acknowledged the compliance of 407 holders of Diplomatic and 403 Service Passports, who it said duly returned their passports in line with the recall directive as of May 6, 2025.

Following that, the ministry has therefore published the serial numbers of the said 701 diplomatic and service passports informing the public that they have been cancelled with immediate effect on the instructions of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

Attached below is a copy of the press statement

CANCELLATION OF DIPLOMATIC AND SERVICE PASSPORTS

ACCRA, 6TH MAY, 2025 - Further to its Public Announcements of 15th January, 2025 and 10th March, 2025, on the recall of Diplomatic and Service Passports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to announce that, effective today, 6th May, 2025, Diplomatic and Service passports issued to the underlisted category of persons have been CANCELLED and are Not Valid for International Travel:

• Former Ministers and Spouses
• * Former Members of Parliament
• * Former Members of the Council of State and Spouses
• * Former/Retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts
• * Former Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives
• * Former Officers of State Institutions, Chairpersons and Members of Boards
• * Officials of the National Cathedral Project
• * Former Non-Career Ambassadors and Dependents
• * Religious and Traditional Leaders
• * Businessmen and Entrepreneurs
• * Former Government Functionaries and
• * All other persons holding official passports not currently serving in any official capacity for the State, or otherwise holding any position that falls under the requirements of sections 6 and 7 of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967(NLCD 155)

The Ministry acknowledges the compliance of 407 holders of Diplomatic and 403 Service Passports, who duly returned their passports in line with the recall directive as of 6th May, 2025.

Consequently, owing to the failure or refusal of the other holders to comply with the directive, the underlisted 341 unreturned Diplomatic and 360 Service Passports bearing the following serial numbers have been hereby CANCELLED with immediate effect on the instructions of the Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs.

All the affected passports have been placed on the Stop-List and shall be confiscated from any person attempting to travel with same.