“Give Akufo-Addo Credit for E-Visa System” — Minority Tells Government
Minority says e-visa system was initiated under Akufo-Addo administration in 2020
- Minority credits Akufo-Addo for initiating e-visa system
- Government urged to acknowledge NPP groundwork on project
- New platform enables fully online visa applications
The Minority in Parliament is calling on government to acknowledge the role of the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration in laying the foundation for Ghana’s electronic visa (e-Visa) application system, which was officially launched by President John Dramani Mahama on Monday, May 25.
Speaking in an interview, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, said the groundwork for the project dates back to 2020 under the Akufo-Addo-led administration.
He explained that the government at the time signed a technical partnership with Swiss firm Orell Füssli to develop the digital infrastructure needed for the e-visa system.
“That company has the equipment, the machines, the technology for building this e-visa system. That was how we began,” he said.
According to him, successive governments should continue and build on ongoing national projects rather than present them as entirely new initiatives.
While commending the current Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the government for rolling out the platform, he insisted that due credit must also be given to the previous administration for initiating the process.
He stressed that development should be seen as a continuous effort, warning against creating the impression that the system was started from scratch.
The new e-visa platform allows foreign nationals to apply for visas online, eliminating paper-based applications and reducing the need for physical document submissions through mail or courier services.
