According to her, the government will take a decision on the matter after it gets the full facts from the US Embassy.

The US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson, at a meeting with Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, said former presidents and parliamentarians would be required to make a personal appearance at the Embassy to request visas if they are going on personal travels.

“Now if you are traveling for tourism or business that is not related to government business, you will need to make a personal appearance. I want to reiterate, for official travel, protocol officers pass the passports for visa applications through the foreign ministry and the foreign ministry’s protocol officers bring it to us. But for personal travel, every person is required to make a personal appearance, even former presidents of Ghana have to come in for personal appearance,” he said.

But the Foreign Affairs Minister said she will be seeking clarification on the announcement.

“Somebody of a level of the president or a former president has reached the point where everybody knows him or her and therefore, some of these things are done away with. I don’t think that it goes all the way to that level, but I still have to find out. But when it comes to Members of Parliament yes they may be required to [do so].”

She however said Ghana may be forced to equally introduce such a measure against ex-US officials after she has been fully briefed on the matter.

“If it is done to you, also, you do the same. We need to engage them to find out what exactly has necessitated this.”

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t to seek clarity on new US protocol visa rules appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the ministry, rumours that it has sanctioned the deportation of citizens in the diaspora are deliberate attempts to malign the minister, Shirley Ayorkor-Botchwey.

[contextly_sidebar id=”4IPmTQgwuwg4WkqAZwT55h8FgmwUf8n2″]A section of the media recently reported that the ministry backed the deportation of some undocumented Ghanaians living outside the country.

According to the report, the position was reiterated by the minister, Shirley Ayorkor-Botchwey when she appeared before Parliament’s Appointments Committee for her vetting on Monday, 23rd January, 2017.

But the Ministry in a statement copied to citifmonline.com, said “these are untruthful and cruel attempts being made by some unpatriotic elements to twist the responses given by the Minister.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional integration wishes to point out that seeking and protecting the welfare of Ghananians abroad is one of the cardinal principles of Ghana’s foreign policy.”

“Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey articulated that very well during her vetting.  She also indicated that much as missions abroad could not interfere in the affairs of any sovereign country, to have the status of undocumented Ghanaians regularised, she would engage those countries to ensure that our nationals are treated in a humane manner, whenever the need arises and do all that she can to protect their interest, by extending to them all the consular assistance that they are entitled to as Ghanaians,” the statement said.

The ministry said Madam Ayorkor-Botchwey only noted that, she will ensure Ghana’s missions abroad meet with citizens in the diaspora and appeal to them to come home to assist, but never said she will sanction their deportation back to Ghana.

It added that, the minister insisted on engaging countries where undocumented Ghanaians were residing to ensure they were not maltreated.

“The Ministry of Foreign affairs and Regional Integration  has not issued directives for the deportation of any Ghanaians living abroad,” it added.

“The general public is therefore entreated to disregard those negative reports which seek to malign the person of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional integration, Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Ministry as a whole,” it further said.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post We’ve not sanctioned deportation of Ghanaians abroad – Gov’t appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.