Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, has stated that Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has been embarking on foreign travels with his Ghanaian passport despite saying that the Ghana card is an E-passport that can serve the same purpose.
In an interview with Accra-based Joy FM on June 15, the legislator described the vice president’s earlier stance on the Ghana card as only a ‘political gimmick’.
Sam Nartey George explained that the database on the Ghana card was yet to be linked across the over 40,000 airports in other for it to be accepted as a travel document.
He further claimed that one cannot complete a travelling cycle using only the Ghana card.
The MP made these comments while commending Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for being ‘technically spot on’ on the subject matter during her presentation before Parliament.
“So long as that database has not been shared to 44,000 airports, it is just a figment of Dr. Bawumia’s imagination and that’s why the minister [Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey] says it’s a long way off.
“Apart from the 44,000 airports, all embassies that are resident in Ghana and that Ghana has embassies in must be synchronized for their database to communicate.
“So if I apply to the US embassy for a Visa they will have to give me an electronic Visa which will be embedded in the chip on my Ghana Card.
“It then means that when I arrive at JFK [John F. Kennedy International Airport], JFK must be able to read the database of the US embassy in Ghana to say that Visa is authentic and was issued by them.
“There’s no such connectivity today and that’s why the minister [Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey] was spot on when she says it’s a long way off and that is why when Dr. Bawumia says you can travel to 44.000 airports…Dr. Bawumia has travelled as Vice President of Ghana since he made those pronouncements. I am putting it on record that he did not travel with his Ghana card. He travels with his Ghanaian passport,” he said.
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Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey contradicts Bawumia
Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey appearing before Parliament on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, clarified that the Ghana card cannot be used as the sole document for travelling.
According to her, Ghana has “a long way to go” to achieve that.
“It must be underscored that the passport, together with the travel certificate is the only approved travel document for the Ghanaian, they are internationally recognised.
“At the moment, the Ghana Card cannot be used for travel to other countries either within or outside of ECOWAS as that will require bilateral agreement with countries for their authorities to accept the card as a travel document,” she said.
This is contrary to what Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia said that Ghana Card is now an ‘E-Passport’ valid for 44,000 airports.
Source: ghanaweb
