![\"Jon](\"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/8de44172-a29b-44ca-8b6a-822f712013b1.jpg\")
The letter also asked what procedures were in place to ensure that diplomatic passports are removed forthwith from former MPs.<\/p>\n
In an interview with Citi News\u2019<\/strong> Franklin Badu Jr, Madam Ayorkor Botchway clarified that, persons no longer in the service of the State could not possess a Diplomatic Passport.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce an MP is no longer in the service of the state, that MP is no longer entitled to the use of the passport because it clearly states in the law, the Passports and Travels certificates Act of 1967, that only those who are proceeding abroad on official government business who should be issued with diplomatic passports so the MPs fall under this provision.\u201d<\/p>\n The duration of the passport is however five years, presenting a period of overlap in the case of\u00a0MPs who serve a single four-year term.<\/p>\n Diplomatic Passports still being returned<\/strong><\/p>\n On what her outfit is doing to retrieve\u00a0these Diplomatic Passports, \u00a0Madam Ayorkor Botchway noted that, “as a Ministry, we have put an advert in the newspaper asking former Members of Parliament and the members of the immediate past government to return their diplomatic passports and a good number of them have done so and they continue to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs soon as it gets to a point where we believe we have given them enough time, we will take steps to ensure that whoever has diplomatic passports in their possession, will not be able to do this, and if it means informing the embassies that these are passports that are not valid, we will do so,\u201d the Minister added.<\/p>\n What the law says (Passport and Travel certificates Law, 1993)<\/strong><\/p>\n (1)The Member responsible may issue a diplomatic passport to;<\/p>\n (a) any member of the Government of Ghana proceeding abroad on official Government business and the wife of such member who accompanies him on his journey;<\/p>\n (b) any diplomatic representative of Ghana accredited to any other country or to any official international organization as head of mission, and any member of the diplomatic staff of such representative;<\/p>\n (c) any consular officer of Ghana;<\/p>\n (d) the wife and every member of the immediate family residing with him of any person referred to at<\/p>\n (b) or (c) to whom a diplomatic passport is issued; and<\/p>\n (e) the head of any delegation of Ghana attending an international conference or convention at which<\/p>\n countries are officially represented.<\/p>\n (f) any prominent citizen or high public official of Ghana, proceeding abroad who, in the opinion of Government, requires such passport for the purpose for which he is travelling abroad.<\/p>\n (2) A diplomatic passport shall not be issued to any person other than those referred to in sub-paragraph<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Delali Adogla-Bessa\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Indications from the Foreign Affairs Ministry are that, there are still a number of former Members of Parliament and former government officials illegally in possession of Diplomatic Passports. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, noted that her Ministry was still receiving Diplomatic Passports from former officials and so far, \u201ca good number of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[6588,3,270,798],"yoast_head":"\n