Minority To Summon Sports Minister Over Commonwealth Games Visa Scandal

Minority members of parliament say they will summon the Youth and Sports Minister, Isaac Asiamah, to provide full disclosure on the visa scandal that has rocked the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) in the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Over 50 Ghanaians who were part of Ghana’s contingent to the games were detained and deported by the Australian immigration authorities for posing illegitimately as journalists, athletes and officials.

The scandal has caused great embarrassment to Ghana and officials of the GOC who has since suspended two staff of the National Sports Authority after initial investigations implicated them.

The two, Christine Ashley and Husseini Akuetteh Addy, which according to Daily Graphic were on seconded to the GOC to assist in their data entry for Ghana’s contingent, have been ordered to return to Ghana

Though the GOC is said to be investigating the matter which has caused hue and cry in the country, the Minority MPs want full scale independent investigation to establish the extent of fraud and identify personalities involved in the scandal.

That, the MPs say would forestall future occurrence.

“This proposed investigation must be initiated immediately by His Excellency, President Nana Addo-DankwaAkufo-Addo,” a statement signed by Kobena Mensah Woyome, ranking member of the Youth, Sports and Culture Committee said.

The MPs said they will explore all avenues including summoning the sector Minister to among other things give the profiles of the deported individuals to parliament.

While condemning the act, the MPs also sympathized with the victims who they said have been traumatised by the incident.

“We also call on the general public especially those directly affected by the deportation carried out by the Australian government to furnish our offices with details including cost of the visa acquisition to help establish the truth,” they appealed.

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