Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has registered her displeasure with the corrupt activities currently going on at the passport offices across the country.

The Minister who paid a surprise visit to the passport expressed her frustration to the media that the corruption-related activities of the public servants are rather tarnishing the image and reputation of her office.

Speaking to the media after her visit, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey expressed her anger over the constant complaints of extortion of money from applicants by passport workers and “goro boys and girls” to expedite their services.

She explained that despite the online application system, some staff at the passport office have connived with a cartel of “goro boys and girls” to manipulate the system.

To sanitize the system, the minister, effective August 21, has relieved all staff seconded to office. She further called for the recall of all security personnel stationed at the office insisting that they have overstayed their welcome.

The minister indicated that an investigation is underway and that the culprits will be punished if found guilty.

Addressing journalists, she said, “I told my officers to put up an online system, now the online system is being manipulated so that people can make money off it. There are investigations going on, and some names have been mentioned. There’s a cartel of people who are working with people from inside. Anybody who has been here for more than one year, from Monday on, please do not come back because you have been changed. We want to bring some sanity. Every time, we say, politicians are corrupt, meanwhile, it is some public and civil servants who will do things that shouldn’t be done, and then they will be put on politicians. We are trying to bring sanity into the system but no”.