General News of Thursday, 27 April 2017

Source: yen.com.gh

MP denies committing visa fraud

Former MP for Asunafo South, George Boakye said he acquired his visa legally Former MP for Asunafo South, George Boakye said he acquired his visa legally

One of the accused persons in the UK ‘visa fraud’ has vehemently rejected the allegations levelled against him by the UK High Commission.

Speaking on Accra based Starr FM after the news broke, the former Member of Parliament fro Asunafo South, George Boakye said he acquired his visa legally .

A letter the British High Commissioner, Jon Benjamin sent to the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament in part read : “Mr. Boakye on September 11, 2012, applied for visas for himself and his 37-year-old daughter, Joyce Boakye to visit a friend in London for 17 days which were granted September 14, 2012.

The UK High Commission further revealed that the former lawmaker thus on January 17, 2013 travelled to the UK with his daughter but the latter did not leave the UK with her father remaining until January 6, 2017. In other words she lived in the UK for over three years illegally.

The UK based on the account above says “Mr Boakye is highly unlikely to be issued any further visas to visit the UK in the next ten years for his role in facilitating his daughter’s travel to the UK, including should he be re-elected to Parliament in a subsequent election.”

But Mr. Boakye dismissed outrightly the High Commissioner’s allegations but admitted his daughter erred by failing to return upon the expiration of the 17 days stay given her.

He however, admitted the sanctions and pleaded for clemency on the show. “… when your son or daughter goes out and whatever he or she does and there is a credit to it you’ll take and in same vein when it is the other way you have to take it.”

The other three incumbent MPs fingered by the UK High Commission in the ‘visa fraud’ 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 and NPP MP for Ahafo Ano South West in the Ashanti region