MPs Visa Fraud saga disappointing – Mensah-Bonsu
The visa fraud scandal involving three sitting lawmakers and a former one in Ghana’s parliament is disappointing, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has stated.
Richard Acheampong, NDC MP for Bia East in the Western region (NDC), Joseph Benhazin Dahah, NPP MP for Ntotroso in the Bono Ahafo region, Johnson Kwaku Adu, NPP MP for Ahafo Ano South West in the Ashanti region and George Boakye, former MP for Asunafo South in the Bono Ahafo region have been blacklisted by the British High Commission in Ghana for breaching immigration rules.
The four used their diplomatic passports to apply for visas for persons travelling to the UK and never returned.
Commenting Wednesday on the development, Mr. Mensah Bonsu said the UK High Commissioner, Jon Benjamin, alerted him about the conduct of the four, including the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South George Boakye who admitted violating UK visa policies during an interview on starr fm.
“I must say that I am a bit disappointed about the turn of events,” Mr. Mensah Bonsu told Naa Dedei Tettey on Starr Midday News Wednesday.
The British High Commissioner in a letter dated January 20, 2017 to the speaker of parliament Mike Oquaye said: “The British High Commission considers the actions [of the MPs] completely unacceptable. In some cases these behaviours may arguably be criminal in nature.”
“We are also circulating this letter widely to other Diplomatic Missions which issue visas in Ghana in the expectation that some of them will consider similar action to ourselves against the above-named individuals,” he added.
Source: starrfmonline
