Ambassador Victor Smith Was On Leave…Ghana High Commission, UK Sets Facts Right

Re: Tension At Ghana Mission In London

We are writing in furtherance to a publication (ref: Tension at Ghana’s UK High Commission as Victor Smith abandons post) on your network, which has been culled and published on other platforms and which sought to create the erroneous impression that the High Commissioner, His Excellency Victor Smith had abandoned his post.

The said publication also claimed that his absence was affecting work at the High Commission.

In spite of the fact that the High Commissioner has personally and adequately dealt with the substantive issues in a rebuttal (re: I haven’t abandoned my post – Victor Smith), we still feel compelled to reinforce and place on record the following points.

1. First of all, the High Commissioner was on leave during the period you referred to and this leave was sanctioned and approved by central government in Ghana.
2. That the Mission is never left without a Head. A charge d’ affaires is always in charge when the High Commissioner is not at post for any reason.
3. That in the absence of any High Commission Official, including the High Commissioner, a hierarchy is automatically triggered and these protocols ensure that all functions assigned to such an official are adequately and efficiently discharged. Thus, at no point does work at the High Commission stall due to the absence of an official, whether such leave is planned or at such notice and therefore, unscheduled.
4. We are by this publication, assuring our stakeholders that work at the High Commission never stalls even in the absence of the High Commissioner, and wish to encourage our media partners to seek clarification on any matters relating to the activities of the High Commission before publication.
5. Besides undermining your own credibility by publishing such untruths, such publications place our collective good image as a country in bad light. We look forward to future collaborations with you in order to avoid the need for such avoidable rejoinders and rebuttals.

Source: Information and Public Affairs Section

Ghana High Commission
13 Belgrave Square London
SW1X 8PN