A light has been shed on some of the horrific experiences Ghanaians endure at certain embassies and consulates in their quest to travel outside the country. These include inadequate waiting areas and excessively long waiting periods at some embassies—conditions that amount to disrespect and mistreatment of citizens applying for visas to those countries.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in his quest to curb these practices and ensure that Ghanaians applying for visas are treated with respect and dignity, embarked on unannounced visits to some embassies to obtain first-hand information on whether they were complying with his earlier directive to treat visa applicants with respect. His efforts to address the situation revealed that while some embassies have improved their services, others appear not to have received the message.

The minister deserves commendation for bringing attention to the mistreatment Ghanaian visa applicants have endured at some embassies and consulates for years.

Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa should not relent in his efforts to ensure that the various embassies and consulates comply with this directive. If necessary, he should summon representatives of non-compliant embassies and pursue appropriate diplomatic measures to hold them accountable. It is high time Ghanaians seeking to travel abroad were treated with respect and dignity.

We understand that the decision to issue or deny a visa rests with the country concerned. However, what Ghanaians will not accept is inhumane treatment and blatant disregard for the rights and well-being of visa applicants. Their concerns deserve to be taken seriously and addressed appropriately rather than treated with contempt.

By Stella Annan