It is the first to be opened outside the national capital, Accra.
Alhaji Mumuni said four more additional centres in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo, Tamale in the Northern, Sekondi in the Western and Ho in the Volta Regions will be ready by the close of the year.
This will help to significantly ease pressure on applicants and save them the trouble of travelling all the way to Accra to acquire passports.
The Foreign Minister said the centres will capture both demographic and biometric data of applicants and transmit these electronically to the central operation and production centre at the main office for processing and issuance of the biometric passport.
He said he was confident that the new passport system will lead to remarkable reduction in the chronic problems of identity theft and other fraudulent activities that characterised the old passport regime.
He said it is heart warming that Ghana has now fully complied with the directive by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), that member countries adopt machine-readable passports.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, said the opening of the Kumasi centre will bring tremendous relief to the passport applicant and commended ECOBANK Ghana Limited for its contribution towards its establishment.
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Quelle/Source: Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, 19.01.2011
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