The MP for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyini has lambasted the UK High Commissioner to Ghana’s handling of the alleged visa fraud involving three sitting lawmakers in Ghana’s parliament and a former one.
According to him, Jon Benjamin deliberately leaked the letter he wrote to the Speaker of Parliament Mike Oquaye dated January 20, 2017 in which the lawmakers’ alleged violation of UK visa policies were contained.
They are Richard Acheampong, NDC MP for Bia East in the Western region, Joseph Benhazin Dahah, NPP MP for Ntotroso in the Bono Ahafo region, Johnson Kwaku Adu, NPP MP for Ahafo Ano South in the Ashanti region and George Boakye, former MP for Asunafo South in the Bono Ahafo region.
The four, according to the High Commission, have used their diplomatic passports to secure visas for persons who traveled to the UK and never returned.
In that letter Mr. Benjamin said: “The British High Commission considers the actions [of the MPs] completely unacceptable. In some cases these behaviours may arguably be criminal in nature.”
But speaking on Morning Starr Friday, Mr. Suhuyini chastised the British High Commissioner to Ghana for being disrespectful and arrogant to the Speaker in the wording of his letter.
He said: “Jon Benjamin is a media freak. And for me he is a very example of how not to be a diplomat. I don’t think that his ways and operations since he got to this country and even if you read about his dealings in other countries that he has been has been very diplomatic and that is where I have a problem.”
“Even if you look at the letter that he wrote to the Speaker that has been leaked, you will find a certain arrogance and disrespect to the sovereignty of Ghana. Why does he think…if you read the letter that it is such a big privilege and…honour to give visas to Ghanaian parliamentarians to go to the UK. I mean who wants to go to the UK if you have no business there.
“…Because of that colonial mindset that they are doing us a favour by giving us visas and so the visas will be given to us subject on good behaviour. I mean that arrogance in that letter is unacceptable,” he added.
The Speaker has assured he will take action on the letter.
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