I read the kidnapping allegations by the parents of the alleged Belgian illegal politicker with extreme disappointment.

While we do not condone any act of harassment on innocent citizens and denizens by any government anywhere on planet Earth, we do not think it is appropriate for anybody to break the law and seek to play the victim with the view to perverting the course of justice.

I have thus been compelled to air my views on the kidnapping allegations by the family of the Belgian lady who allegedly arrived in the country sometime in 2018 and refused to regularise her stay.

Per the immigration rules, by allegedly forging documentation with the view to staying in the country, she has broken the law and therefore steps can be taken to remove her from the country.

What is more damning though, is that despite her illegal status, she has chosen to play an active role in politics, by acting as a spokesperson for the political outfit, ‘the New Force’.

If she is indeed an illegal immigrant and has taken it upon herself to engage in active politicking, the government has every right to detain and deport her.

It is therefore quite baffling to read that her seemingly distressed parents have had the cause to accuse the government of Ghana of kidnapping their daughter. How bizarre?

We would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to remind the family of the said lady that a large number of genuine foreign migrants are plying their trades on our streets without any interference from the government.

However, like any other country on planet Earth, illegal foreigners are not allowed to engage in active politics in Ghana, and the said lady is not exempted from such laws.

Our security services therefore have no option but to arrest and detain any recalcitrant illegal immigrant who chooses to interfere in Ghanaian politics.

With all due respect, the family of the said lady should take cognisance of the fact that the Ghanaian authorities are only seeking to enforce the laws of the land.

Suffice it to stress that the authorities in the said lady’s country of origin would not hesitate to do the same if found themselves in such a position.

In fact, it is quite worrying and extremely disappointing for the family of the said lady to overlook Ghana’s unparalleled cordial reception towards foreigners.

Indeed, the Ghana Government is known for showing exceptional cordiality towards visitors.

Ghana has thus signed and ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and their Family Members.

Ghana ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (the UN Migrant Workers Convention), on 8 September 2000 (See: http://www.migrantsrights.org/Ratificationchart.htm ).

It is, however, worth emphasising that Ghana is not obliged to protect the stubbornly illegal miners per the provisions of the International Convention on the Rights of all Migrants Workers and their Family Members.

More importantly, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families is one of the numerous core international human rights treaties.

So by ratifying the treaty, Ghana has demonstrated its willingness and commitment to protect migrant workers and their family members.

Likewise, migrant workers have a duty to obey the laws of the land.

We would, therefore, respectfully remind the parents of the said lady that no one is above the laws of the land.

Indeed, the inviolability of the state sovereignty supersedes any other interests.