The Member of Parliament for North Tongu and ranking member on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has accused the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, of having “colonial mentality” over his handling of an alleged visa fraud involving three sitting legislators and a former one.
“Reading through Jon Benjamin’s letter however, one cannot help but notice a rather regrettable colonial mindset,” he said.
He added: Quite clearly, to Mr. Jon Benjamin, issuing visas to Ghanaian MPs is such a great favour and a reward for good group behaviour. Therefore, because three sitting MPs may have misconducted themselves, all 275 MPs must now face the Head Master’s (if not the colonial Governor’s) wrath and sanctions. Such utter disrespect for our Parliament and our country regardless is most unacceptable.
He further accused Mr Benjamin of overstepping his "boundaries" by lecturing "Our Speaker, our President through his Secretary, our Chief of Staff and our Foreign Minister on how diplomatic passports ought to be used and retrieved."
Ablakwa made the statement after the UK High Commissioner Jon Benjamin wrote a letter to the Speaker of Parliament citing three sitting members of parliament and a former member of parliament in an alleged visa fraud using their diplomatic passports.
According to the commission, the MPs used an unauthorised person (a goro boy) and their diplomatic passports to apply for visas for some individuals who travelled to the United Kingdom and did not return as stipulated by their visas.
They are 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.