Parliament’s image smeared again by ‘Visa fraud’ allegations – ACEPA

Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), has described as unfortunate the recent allegation of immigration-related offences by some current and former Members of Parliament.

According to the civil society organization, the allegation dents the legislative body's integrity.

The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, in a letter leaked to the media earlier this week, announced that four legislators including a former MP, have been banned for ten years from entering the UK for various illegal immigration practice facilitated by their diplomatic passports.

Their offenses include helping supposed relatives overstay their visas in the UK.

The Executive Director of ACEPA, Dr. Rasheed Dramani, said, “I think it is yet another heavy blow to the integrity of our Parliament and that is how I will describe it. It is quite unfortunate, and what makes it more unfortunate is the timing of it; at a time when we are healing from another scandal.”

On calls for the diplomatic passports of Members of Parliament to be withdrawn following the allegations, Dr. Rasheed Dramani said withdrawing the diplomatic passports will amount to nothing.

“I think it is not a question of diplomatic passports. It is more about anybody who carries the Ghanaian identity to show that they are a worthy ambassador… The issue is more about all Members of Parliament being guided by the fact that they have a heavy responsibility that they carry in the way they do everything and carry themselves at all times.”

All the MPs implicated in the alleged incident have been slapped with a 10-year ban from the UK.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana