Ghana Tightens Visa Process For Chinese

Ghana�s mission in China has indicated that it has tightened its visa acquisition process for Chinese who intend to visit Ghana. According to the Deputy Head of the Mission in China, Alfred Saame, this is to ensure illegal Chinese miners do not sneak into the country. It was confirmed earlier this week that the Chinese Embassy in Ghana had tightened its visa application processes for Ghanaians who wished to visit China. The Embassy on its part, denied reports that the new measures were in retaliation to Ghana�s recent deportation of its (Chinese) nationals. In an interview with Citi News however, Mr. Saame stated that the new development came into force before reports emerged that China had done same. �With this new development, we have adopted other stringent measures. For instance, we have informed the Public Security Bureau and the Immigration Services at the airport as well as the Foreign Ministry.� Mr. Saame mentioned that Chinese nationals who had acquired certificates of business were required to seek clearance from the Embassy before being allowed into Ghana. He added: �Many of those illegal migrants who came in came through unorthodox means. Many of them do not pass through the Embassy because we are very strict there and we make sure that if you are going to work, you have a working quota�but many of them by-pass us and find other unorthodox means.�