MONROVIA – The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has launched six new passport application centers in a move to enable Liberians living abroad to access Liberian passports without hassle.
The new centers were simultaneously launched in Chicago and Los Angeles in the United States; Nairobi, Kenya; Melbourne Australia and New Delhi, India.
According to the MoFA, the government will continue to open new centers in other locations in phases.
According to the Ministry, it is the obligation of the Government of Liberia to ensure that passport application and processing is brought to the doorstep of every Liberia national who needs a passport to travel or otherwise.
Amb. Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, disclosed that the new centers collaborate with VFS Global to work out modalities in making sure passports are brought to the doorstep to every Liberian.
According to the Minister, the benefits of the new centers would be increased revenue for Government of Liberia for national development; easy access of passports for Liberian citizens in areas where Liberia does not have consular centers, and citizens’ rights to Passport is fulfilled by Government.
FrontPageAfrica gathered that it is in the light of these new centers that the Consulate in Minnesota, USA, was closed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Information received by this paper indicates that the closure was also necessary to curb unwholesome acts involving the issuance of Liberian passports. A Foreign Ministry source informed FPA that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working out modalities with the U.S. State Department to open a career consulate in Minnesota as it is in New York.
This, according to the source, is part of reforms being rolled out by MoFA to restore absolute confidence in the sector.
As part of the reforms, all consulate generals would relinquish their positions and reapply under the new requirements being set by the Ministry, FrontPageAfrica gathered.