Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has accused the Netherlands ambassador to Ghana Jeroen Verheul of not exercising due diligence in processing a visa application for an MP.
The Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini had alleged that the Dutch embassy turned down his visa application, suspecting that it was because of his support for the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill currently before Parliament.
"For the Netherlands to ignore my status as an MP with the responsibility to an entire constituency, which was known to them…my valid travel visas to the UK and USA and my numerous previous travel records, which indicate I have never overstayed any visit abroad…my beautiful family, and deny me an entry visa on the basis that, there was insufficient evidence…that I have significant social or economic ties to my country to prompt my return after my intended visit, could only have been deliberately taken to provoke me and also undermine Ghanaian state officials and diplomats,” Mr Suhuyini said in a Facebook post.
Commenting on the issue, the Netherlands ambassador faulted the aggrieved MP for resorting to social media to address concerns and not direct communication.
Mr Jeroen posted on Twitter, "If the visa applicant only spoke to us directly, instead of through the media, we could avoid a lot of misunderstandings and miscommunication in the (social) media. That’s why it is important to have diplomatic relations and bilateral embassies"
However, in a rebuttal to the tweet, Sam George blamed the embassy for failing to check the background of the applicant.
He added that "the flimsy excuse of lack of social ties would not have been given as a reason to deny the visa."
Sam George Nartey and Alhassan Suhuyini are among the lead proponents of the anti- LGBTQ+ bill also known as "Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021”.
The bill basically seeks to criminalise LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.