Diaspora News of Friday, 2 August 2013

Source: joyonline

Chiefs write to UK Prime Minister over £3000 bond

On Thursday 31st July 2013, a delegation of one Ghanaian Chief and two Queens visited the Office of the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron at 10 Downing Street with a letter of concern over the proposed imposition of a £3000 security bond on visitors from Ghana to the UK, to start from November 2013.

The dignified delegation consisting of NAA TSOTSOO SOYOO I who is the spokesperson for the group, NANA BRAKO SARPONG KUMANKUMA II, and NANA AMA ADUKORWA II, dressed in their colourful Royal Regalia, attracted the attention of many tourists to the city that proceeded to gather at the entrance and take photographs of and with them.

Mr Kuuku Spencer of Naspa Media Group accompanied the group to compile a report on behalf of the Ghana media.

According to spokesperson HRM NAA TSOTSOO SOYOO I, the Chiefs and Queen-mother’s were greatly disturbed by the pending legislation to impose a bond of £3000 on visitors from Ghana from November 2013 and wanted to make their concerns known. In the letter, they asked the Prime Minister to consider revising the proposal and find more appropriate ways of dealing with the issue of immigration. The letter stressed the fact that Ghanaians were decent, hardworking and respectful citizens and such legislation will only affect the poorest of the Ghanaian communities.

She stated that “I could go into many reasons why this latest UK immigration legislation should be scrapped, but the main issue is that it a breach of the Article 8, Human Rights Act on protection of a person’s right to Private and Family Life, and as members of the Commonwealth, we as Ghanaians need to ask for a review.”

NANA BRAKO SARPONG KUMAKKUMA II declared “Nananom would like to show Ghanaians that wherever we are in the world, we will strive to protect the interests of fellow Ghanaians because it is only by making our voices heard that we can achieve change.”

NANA AMA ADUKORWA II appealed to Ghanaians in the UK to unite in support of the traditional leaders as they seek to be a positive voice for the community.