Audio Attachment:Listen to Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa |
Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has rubbished the report by the United States of America to withdraw diplomatic courtesies to Ghana’s former Presidents and Members of Parliament.
The government of the United States of America (USA) is reported to have withdrawn diplomatic courtesies to Ghana’s former Presidents and Members of Parliament.
This means that, henceforth, the affected persons, by this diplomatic decision, would have to be at the US Embassy in person to acquire their visas when on private trips or alternatively schedule private arrangement with the embassy for their visas.
This was disclosed in Accra yesterday by the US Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Robert Jackson, when he met Parliament’s select Committee on Foreign Affairs.
“For personal travels, every person is required to make a personal appearance. So there are no exceptions,” Mr. Jackson told the lawmakers.
Before this decision, Protocol Officers at the Foreign Affairs Ministry were mandated to secure visas for the travelling state officials but that arrangement has been reviewed.
“Pursuant to worldwide guidance from the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs, protocol officers will no longer be allowed inside the consular waiting area to accompany visa applicants.”
"Protocol officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will [only] be allowed into the consular waiting area in order to deliver and pick up passports and documents,” the letter read.
But reacting to US new directive on diplomatic courtesies, the Member of Parliament’s select committee on Foreign Affairs on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show fumed, saying the committee will not countenance this disrespectful attitude towards the country's former Heads of State.
“We will resist any attempt by the US government to maltreat our former Heads of State. We won’t allow it to happen in this country; for now, no former Head of State has been maltreated by the US Embassy,” he fumed.
He stressed that “Ghana will surely reciprocate the measures the United States has adopted in issuing its visas to Americans. There are protocols that are reciprocal; in diplomacy, there is something called reciprocity therefore if it is done to you, you do the same so we will look at it.”
Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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Massa it is thier country and threy decide what to do. focus on yours and do yours. by the way what is wrong with a former president going through the same procedure as citizens. I dont get the hola balloo of this. for me its a good
your face like a piggy piglet with advanced kwashiokor. Who told u to talk some? Ayigb3 kossshia!
It is good and sevves us right.we have made our country no man's land.Our leaders for sometime now have failed to enforce any immigration law. Of this country.
JAY & KWABENA WHAT ARE YOU SAYING AT ALL. NOW THEY HAVE STARTED REPATRIATING YOUR BROTHERS & SISTERS FROM USA. WE SHALL SEE WHO WILL LOOSE, MAHAMA, RAWLINGS OR PAPA WILLIAM AND HIS PARTY IN GOVERNING. WHAT YOU THROW A BALL AGAINST A WALL THINK OF REBOUND. I PRAY THAT THEY REPATRIATE ALL AND SEE WHO WILL SUFFER, NDC OR NPP
You are part of the problem,very soon Dubai will also issue sanctions.
@ Kofi Texas.....tell them again bro..... so so yobbing... if they say no Ghanaians can't do shele....even de Australian PM is snubbed how much more Ghanaian ex president apuuuuu
I dont think Rawlings or kuffour is going to USA to do anything at this time. Probably John Mahama, but he is mostly on official duty by UN, so this is not a big deal. I only fear for nana addo, because he loves traveling a lot when out of government.
FIX YOUR COUNTRY OOOOTOM.
What would you leverage your resistance on? Just empty threats to look good in the news. Just stfu.
So who cares, Ghana is sweet like honey