The Passport Head Office at Ridge in Accra has been temporarily closed following a reported attack on staff by a group of agitated Zongo youth demanding the urgent release of passports ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage.
The incident, which occurred on the night of Friday, May 9, saw the group storm the premises in frustration over delays in receiving their travel documents. According to sources, efforts by officials to explain the situation failed to calm the group.
“No explanation to the angry mob was satisfactory to them,” a source said.
The situation reportedly escalated to the point where the Director of Passports and a foreign consultant involved in an expedited processing initiative had to flee the premises for their safety.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry had recently introduced a 24-hour passport service aimed at reducing processing times to 15 days and clearing backlogs. The reform also included a courier delivery option and a rotating shift system, with staff working day and night to serve applicants more efficiently.
However, during a visit to the Ridge office on Saturday, May 10, the facility was inactive, with only one plainclothes security officer at the gate. Two foreign nationals were seen exiting the building.
Sources noted that only two police officers were on duty the night of the incident and were overwhelmed by more than 20 men who reportedly arrived on motorbikes.
“It was too much for the officers on duty—they were simply outnumbered,” one source said.
As of now, there is no official word on when passport services at the Ridge head office will resume. Citi News also reports that no formal complaint has yet been lodged with the police.
Fati Musah, a passport applicant who came to collect her chip-embedded passport, expressed frustration after being turned away. “Some Muslims are scheduled to leave for Hajj on Monday and others on Tuesday. Any more delays could jeopardize our travel plans,” she said.
Meanwhile, the first group of pilgrims is expected to depart from Tamale on Saturday, May 10, via a direct flight to Saudi Arabia.
