200 euros for Passport is too much, President told
The Council of Ghanaian Nationals Associations in Italy (COGNAI) has asked Ghana’s President John Agyekum Kufour to seek agreement with Italian government so that Ghanaians working in Italy can have right to their pension when they return home before reaching the pension age set by Italian government.

During a meeting with the Ghanaian community in Italy at the Ambassador’s Residence in Rome Mr. Kofi Omari Somuah, the President of COGNAI explained that Italian government requires people to have contributed for at least 20 years before having a right to receive their pension.

This according to him doesn’t favour many Ghanaians who work in Italy since most of them don’t come to the country while still young.

Mr Somuah lamented on some social problems faced by the Ghanaian in Italy and appealed to the President to use his good offices to help address such issues. For instance, he brought to the notice of Mr. Kufour the high fees charged by the Ghanaian Embassy in Italy. Greeted with cheers from the crowd, the leader of the Ghanaian society said the 200 Euros charged for the acquisition of a new Ghanaian passport in Italy was too much.

An issue, which was over and over buttressed by speaker after speaker during the forum. The community representatives complained that Ghanaians in Italy have been paying 200 euros while their compatriots in other European countries were only paying 115 for the passport.

Mr Somuah assured the president of the readiness of Ghanaians Italy to corporate with the authorities to ensure mutual and peaceful co-existence in the country.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo explained that the decision to increase the passport fee in Italy was motivated by the higher demand for Ghana passports in Italy. He said Italy had the highest number of applications for Ghana passports in Europe and therefore the high fee was put to control the demand. He revealed that since the high fee was introduced, the demand for passports has gone down.

The Minister also assured Ghanaians in Italy that soon there will be a uniform fee for Ghana passports throughout the Eurozone with the introduction of the new generation passports.

President Kufour in reaction to comments and questions from the gathering said ‘government is making everything possible to ensure that Ghanaians living outside the country are not treated outside the international immigration and human right laws.

President Kufour also revealed that the Italian government has allocated 1000 quotas to Ghanaians to come to Italy legally for work. This in the view of the president is the confidence the Italian government has the people and government of Ghana and urged them Ghanaians not to do any thing to jeopardise such trust and confidence.

He said that the Premier of Italy had informed him during their meeting of the immense contributions Ghanaians are making towards the improvement of the labour front and the entire economy in the country saying “I am told Ghanaians have worked hard for shift patterns here gain root. I hope their shift system at the work places is working well because of you”.

When informed of the fact that Ghanaians are normally discriminated against at Ghana airports when they return home, the apparently disappointed president said, “This is immoral.” He asked Ghanaians to complain to the authorities any time they are maltreated.

He said the news about the country is good. “Rest assured your Ghana is doing well,” he said. The world has acknowledged that Ghana is doing well, you must believe that. We must believe in ourselves and move ahead.” he said.

He was quick however to admitted that there are some sections, which need to be worked on and improved. He cited the area of taxation as one area that has not been fully tapped saying the country has not yet succeeded to collect enough taxes, revealing that in a country of nearly 20 million people slightly over five hundred thousand people pay taxes.

On a humorous note, President Kufour said Ghana played very well but lost to Italy during the last World Cup in Germany not because Italy played better than Ghana, but simply because Ghana was playing for the first time in World Cup and therefore suffered the new comer’s fear.

He told Italian team to prepare to meet Ghana in South Africa where he hinted different results should be expected. President Kufour assured Ghanaians in Italy that their government has been working well to improve living conditions of people back home.

President Kufour was in Italy for a three-day visit at the invitation of the Italian Government. Present at the meeting were Foreign Minister Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Finance Minister Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Ambassador D. K Osei, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sport O B Amoah and Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary, and Mr Fabrizio De Agostini, Italian Ambassador to Ghana.

Before the meeting the president went round to shake hands and chat with Ghanaians at the event. More than 300 Ghanaians from all parts of Italy attended the meeting. There were also Ghanaian pilgrims from other parts of Europe and Ghana. The President was welcomed with Ghanaian traditional dances.

It was gathered that non-Ghanaians present at the meeting were so much enthused about the president’s meeting with the Ghanaians. One Olu Urji from Nigeria noted that “ this is not usual of African presidents who come to Italy” he said most of them hardly arrange to meet their compatriots and even ever it happens, they limit the meeting to delivering their speeches without allowing their compatriots to express their views and ask questions. This is a unique quality that we highly appreciate.