The Minister’s comments follow the Speaker of Parliament’s directive to Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee last week, to investigate cases of alleged dehumanizing treatment meted out to Ghanaians at some embassies.

[contextly_sidebar id=”AY9ApsDpYyZv6wULOfg03wzJ7A2TOQFR”]In an interview with Citi News, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway said most of the foreign missions engaged so far by the Ministry, have been responsive to the complaints from Ghanaians.

“We have been engaging with these embassies and informing them of the problems that Ghanaians are faced with when they come for visas and it has been very fruitful. We have had meetings with the UK High Commission, we have had meetings with the US Embassy, we have had meetings with the Chinese Embassy.”

Poor treatment of Ghanaians must stop – Ablakwa 

The Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, had expressed concerns about the plight of many Ghanaians at a number of embassies, noting the “dehumanizing treatment sometimes meted out to many applicants virtually on a daily basis.”

Mr. Ablakwa, noted that the situation could affect diplomatic relations in Ghana if not checked.

Making a statement on the floor of Parliament, the North Tongu MP said: “the blot I speak of is the shabby and dehumanizing treatment sometimes meted out to many Ghanaian applicants virtually on a daily basis.”

Investigate ‘ill-treatment’ of Ghanaians at Embassies – Speaker orders

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye, then directed the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament to immediately investigate claims that Ghanaians are being maltreated at some foreign missions in the country.

“Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs shall meet and deliberate on this matter through investigation and interrogation; and armed with a letter from the Speaker’s Office, they shall visit relevant embassies and places, analyse the problem, where necessary with the cooperation of Embassy staff, and our own foreign office, but independent of it, and report back to the House,” the Speaker said.

The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Frank Annor Dompreh, had earlier said that his Committee was aware of the situation, and would team up with the Foreign Affairs Ministry on how best to deal with this worrying trend.

“It has become so important and poignant that we take some important decisions and make some attempts to resolve this concern once and for all,” he said.

Mr. Annor Dompreh indicated the need for a thorough investigation, saying “there are some of these embassies that are doing a very good job and they need to be supported and encouraged.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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Without singling out any particular  embassy, the Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, noted that the situation could affect diplomatic relations in Ghana if not checked.

[contextly_sidebar id=”b5nD89Z19m4P8LbkwrCAuWZGX31m5YuQ”]Making a statement on the floor of Parliament, the North Tongu MP said: “the blot I speak of is the shabby and dehumanizing treatment sometimes meted out to many Ghanaian applicants virtually on a daily basis.”

He added that “there is also what many Ghanaian visa applicants consider to be extortionist conduct on the part of some of these embassies.”

Mr. Ablakwa noted that, most  embassies have made “no provision for a decent and safe waiting area where visa applicants may be hosted as they wait their turn during visa interview appointments.”

The North Tongu legislator recalled visits to some missions which he said left him “outraged” as he found applicants queuing at opened areas and waiting at roundabouts at the mercy of the weather.

“To these embassies, they couldn’t be bothered if the sun is scorching or it’s raining or if there is a category five hurricane. They simply don’t seem to care,” he bemoaned.

Aside from the earlier points, Mr. Ablakwa raised concerns with the different kinds of fees some applicants are presented with.

According to him, “a new trend is emerging where some embassies, apart from their standard visa processing fees, demand all kinds of extra fees and charges under various guises. These guises range from express fees, early appointment fees, email fees, text messages fees and so on and so forth.”

Mr. Ablakwa stressed that, the visa applicants have rights and deserve respect, and “now is the time to demand action as the people’s representatives.”

Probe needed

Responding to the concerns, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Frank Annor Dompreh, said his committee was aware of the situation, and would team up with the Foreign Affairs on how best to deal with this worrying trend.

“It has become so important and poignant that we take some important decisions and take some attempts to resolve this concern once and for all,” he said.

Mr. Annor Dompreh thus indicated the need for a thorough investigation, saying “there are some of these embassies that are doing a very good job and they need to be supported and encouraged.”

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonine.com/Ghana

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There have been a series of reports on maltreatment of Ghanaian who visit Kuwait as domestic workers in Kuwait.

[contextly_sidebar id=”EJ6O8EI5TL5xB5fbSClSvmwDJBeSqMBf”]But Mr. Ablakwa believes the establishment of a mission in Kuwait will tackle the inhumane treatment some Ghanaians go through during their stay there.

“I will say that honourable Foreign Minister did provide a comprehensive response but I think this should be the beginning of how moving forward, we guarantee better protection of our citizens in the Gulf region…Some people will send videos of their relatives in the Gulf state and we need to put in an emergency response to rescue a number of our citizens who are in distress…”

Mr. Ablakwa further indicated that the move will afford government an opportunity to register its displeasure over the abuse of Ghanaian citizens to government officials in Kuwait.

“It is clear to me, listening to the Minister today, that there is the need now for emergency response. As we speak, we do not even have a hotline for emergency response. There are female workers who are being raped , enslaved, assaulted on a daily basis… We also have not had a high level delegation go to these countries to meet these governments to communicate our strongest revulsion and opposition to what is happening in this country and to urge them to take action.”

Meanwhile, National Security has been tasked to probe allegations of maltreatment meted out to some 63 Ghanaians who were recently deported.

According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, this has become necessary due to conflicting reports received from the deportees and the US Embassy on the treatment on the board a chartered flight to Ghana.

“This particular matter is the word of the US authorities against that of the Ghanaians who were repatriated but we haven’t instituted any investigation into the matter because that lies in the domain of the national security and we expect them to do so,” she said.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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Currently, there are only six centres across the country, a situation that causes delays, also because the regional offices are not empowered to print the passports for prospective applicants.

The situation has caused many applicants grave frustrations, leading to exploitation by some swindlers.

[contextly_sidebar id=”UMYtLldLh2eOI5zJt5t4lQVBxfDHWoGQ”]But the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Charles Owiredu, has told Citi News government will expand the centers to ten, to resolve this challenge.

He also indicated that, government will improve on the online application process.

“One of the key things that has bedeviled the Ministry is in the area of passport. People are complaining that anytime they need a passport and they go to the passport application centres there are delays. Now we have six centres where people can apply for passports and the plan is to extend it to all the regional capitals so instead of the six we will have ten.”

“Also we have the online application. We also want to expand the online application to all centres so people can sit in the comfort of their homes and apply for their passports. We want to make sure that every mission is capable of issuing passports.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, had earlier reiterated government’s resolve to ensure that the processes leading to passport acquisition in the country are made easier.

Speaking during her vetting as Minister Nominee, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said : “We’ll be ensuring that processes that Ghanaians go through that has something to do with the foreign ministry will be smooth processes such as the acquisition of passports and visas and all of that, there is a lot of work there that needs to be done and we are going to do our best.”

‘Ghana launches online passport application’

Ghana in December 2016 launched an online passport application service, aimed at easing the mode of application of passports for Ghanaians, while ensuring maximum security for applicants.

The introduction of the system was also to prevent the activities of ‘goro boys’ in the passport application process that often results in defrauding of innocent Ghanaians.

Ms Hanna S. Tetteh, the then Foreign Affairs Minister, said the service was inherent in the e-Government strategy. However, the online application process is not effective.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Presenting the equipment, Hanna Tetteh said she procured the vehicles with her four- year share of the National Health Insurance Scheme Fund for Members of Parliament.

She re-called a number of development projects the government had provided  in the Awutu-Senya District within four years and appealed to the electorate, to come out in their numbers and vote massively for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)  on December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections for more developmental projects.

She said educational infrastructures at Awutu Bereku, Bontrase, Bawjiase as well as the up-grading of Senya Bereku Health facility with 30-bed capacity ward, improvement of road network and extension of electricity to a number of communities in the constituency were reasons why the NDC should be retained in power.

She said besides these achievements, Awutu Bereku Circuit Court had also been provided with new building, whilst the construction of markets at Senya Bereku and Bawjiase and other projects were in the pipe line.

She expressed the hope that, the people would accept the immense contributions she had made to promote the well-being of the constituency and reciprocate the gesture by giving her their mandate once more for her to better their lots.

Madam Tetteh said: “I have reached where I am today not by my power but your individual and collective voting power, and it is my duty to make good use of this gesture to the advantage of all at Awutu devoid of political affiliations.”

Naakye Dode Akabie XIIII, Queen Mother of Awutu-Bereku Traditional Area who received the keys to the vehicles commended Madam Tetteh for her hard work towards the realisation of the people’s aspirations.

Mrs Patricia Antwi, District Director of Ghana Health Service, expressed appreciation to the MP for the assistance, adding that it would help accelerate the operations of work.

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Source: GNA

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Prior to the above statement the said Justice Offei- Newton had earlier posted on his face book page that;

“i have just had the opportunity to watch a video of some GFA officials having hot sex with some of these so-called soccer ambassadors that were taken toBrazil and paid $25,000 each from the taxpayers’ money; and the content is so damn explicit and menacingly eye-popping.” 

And before the above he had posted and attached my picture and that of a fellow female and male ambassador to the text below;

“ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Ghana’s most notorious presidential ‘comforters’ with their fake-wigs and tons of layers of pons on their faces to fill the gaping-wrinkles, who now travel with John Dramani Mahama in the presidential jet on all his foreign trips,both official and private; and with them is Ghana’s only most accomplished porn-star”.

As a result of this posting, an online magazine called Ghana vibes repeated the baseless accusations quoting him in full and soliciting comments from readers who visited the site as if the story was true.

On the 2^nd of July 2014, one Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa aka Afia Schwarzenegger on her prime time TV show on UTV, without basis alleged that I have had sex with a member of the Ghana Football team in exchange for money. Prior to the airing of the said programme she posted the agenda for the evening’s show and included one topic labeled as “sex ambassadors”.

I have decided to use my personal space to put to rest ONCE AND FOR ALL and to RESPOND to the MALICIOUS DEFAMATORY AND BASELESS ATTACKS ON MY HARD EARNED REPUTATION AS A PERSON, PUBLIC FIGURE and ROLE MODEL…

I was recently selected to be an Ambassador during the on-going FIFA World cup in Brazil and spent 14 days in Natal-Brazil, to help sell and project Ghana in the area of the Arts. I was also engaged by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to perform as part of entertainment for the Ghanaian and Brazilian fans that were in Natal-Brazil as national service that attracted no fees or compensation of any sort for my efforts or professional services rendered by me.

May I state for the record that never in my time spent in Natal-Brazil, where I was my entire period in that country DID I EVER SET EYES ON ANY MEMBER OF GHANA’S BLACK STARS TEAM UP CLOSE.

The closest I came to meeting the Ghana team was watching them from the stands at the stadium when Ghana played the United States. I inadvertently left my passport in the hotel and missed an opportunity to be on a flight with the Ghanaian supporters to watch the Ghana- Germany match I therefore watched the game on TV in my hotel room as a result. Indeed flight issues did not allow I or any of the many Ghanaian supporters to travel from Natal to Brasilia to watch the game against Portugal. The Ghana team was based in Maceo, a city hundreds of miles from Natal where I was based. From the above it is clear that there was no way I could have had any interaction with any team member much more engage in any undignifying acts with them.

As a practicing Christian and from a very strict Christian home, the African Woman you see today is by dint of hard work. I have always worked hard to be where I am and have never traded sexual favors to advance in life or in my career. It is against my very being and I feel saddened that people who ought to know better would without provocation peddle such palpable falsehoods about me thereby reducing me in the eyes of the right thinking members of society. I have instructed my lawyers to take legal action against the people actively involved in tarnishing my image as a testimony to how serious I view the false allegations being leveled against me. I am ready to devote my time and resources to clear my name, as the damage done to my reputation, is immeasurable.

Surprisingly, those who have erred in peddling the falsehood making the rounds on social media and main stream media are supposed to by training know better but have rather chosen for some inexplicable reason chosen to defame me in this manner.

I still remain your sister, friend and comrade…

Signed; @beccafrica

Source: ameyawdebrah.com

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