Over 300 foreign nationals have been arrested across various parts of the country for their alleged involvement in fraudulent activities related to the acquisition of Ghana Cards and biometric passports.
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the suspects were apprehended during a series of joint operations conducted.
He said the rise in the acquisition of Ghana Card passport cases is due to the increased value of the Ghanaian passport, which now grants visa-free access to 42 countries.
The arrests form part of a crackdown on identity fraud and illegal documentation, which he said poses a serious threat to national security and the integrity of Ghana’s identification systems.
In an effort to strengthen security, Ablakwa said, the Ministry has restricted the use of mobile phones for Ghana Card and passport applications.
“No mobile phone number will be allowed to register for more than five passport applications. We detected a trend of multiple attempts by the same numbers, and these numbers have now been blocked in our system,” Ablakwa said.
Ablakwa added that the new measures take into account community demographics, the average number of minors, and parental responsibilities, to ensure the system is not exploited.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to protecting the integrity of Ghanaian passports and national security, warning that anyone who breaches these rules will be prosecuted.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects, primarily from neighbouring West African countries, allegedly conspired with local accomplices to acquire Ghanaian identification documents using forged birth certificates, fake residency papers, and falsified data entries.
