"Flexing Muscles" on Ghana Passport issue in Italy

It took the government of Ghana and its Embassy in Rome seven months to settle or bring under control the issue on the increase of Ghana Passport fees at the Embassy.

The matter was left hanging for far tool long and intervention was made only when it became apparent the Council of Ghana Nationals Association in Italy (COGNAI) and its Assembly of Ghanaians in Italy were on the verge of carrying out a demonstration at the Ghana Mission in Rome in protest against the increase.

Their point for finishing at ‘demo’ was the authorities sat unconcerned with their pleas and petitions through letters to have the fees reduced believing an 85% increase on the existing passport fee was way off the mark and an exception at all of Ghana’s Mission abroad. Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kwesi Osei Agyei - who intervened with a meeting at the Conference Hall of the Embassy in Rome - and the Ambassador, Dr. Kofi Dsane-Selby both admitted receiving protest notes but said because those letters were insulting and derogatory they decided not to react.

So why did they decide to act at the time they did, seven months after the protest begun. It bores down to the African posture of ‘flexing their muscles’ saying: “I’m in charge, you are not and you can go ahead and do whatever you want which would not change the situation.” Most African system of authority runs on these lines instead of sitting down to have constructive dialogue.

Months back in a pre-meeting, unrelated to the passport issue, at the same Conference Room of the Ghana Mission in Rome, three members of Ghana’s Parliament were in Italy to meet the Ghanaian community representatives to explain their right in voting outside the country at Presidential and Parliamentary elections. The Ambassador vehemently refused to have the passport problem discussed when a participant raised the issue. He called for the end of the meeting with a closing prayer, after two other attempts, to the amazement of the participants. Little did he know that what he failed to tackle at that meeting would come back to haunt him and it did.

The Honourable Ambassador’s earlier statement at that meeting that Ghanaians or not in Italy the Embassy would continue to be there is rather unfortunate coming from an astute politician and a man of revered qualities. Was the Ambassador saying Ghanaians in Italy are insignificant to the development in Ghana’s economy? Where was His Excellency when the President of Ghana declared Ghana’s second higher foreign exchange earner is derived from Ghanaians living abroad, to put a figure on it $400 million a year, and for that matter that includes Ghanaians in Italy.

Is the Head of Mission aware that 20,000 Ghanaian passports between July 2005 and July 2006, would expire in Italy and when the Embassy is through with all the applications, it would or for that matter the government of Ghana will make an astounding $1.7 million on the back of Ghanaians in Italy with respect to only the increase of €85 on the previous fee on each passport? This amount would not solve all the financial clout of the Embassy for the next decade when the same passports are due for renewal again but how many of Ghana’s Missions abroad could generate the same amount on passport related applications alone within a year.

The dear Ambassador’s statement is also an insult to Ghanaians in Italy who against the backdrop of all difficulties they encounter continue to make financial contributions to development projects in rural areas of Ghana.

Perhaps what the Head of the Mission also didn’t know was those representatives of the Ghana Associations were sponsored to be present at that meeting by their respective Associations and they are expected to carry back to them whatever transpired around the table in Rome.

The harsh and unpleasant words towards the authorities from Ghanaians in Italy against the passport increment started from the meeting in Rome after hearing of the Ambassador’s action of rebuffed efforts to sweep aside the issue and not have it discussed.

Laws made can sometimes be harsh and difficult to take but human beings are not like animals they can sit down and dialogue over issues even under disagreements. What transpired in the months on the Ghana passport issue in Italy should be a lesson for all involved in the confrontation, a confrontation painted with insults, arrogance, intimidation and threats.

Certainly, sitting down and not taking action on issues that needs to be tackled is one way your opponent can win. The government and the Embassy’s inaction on the excuse that letters of petition carry ‘unpalatable’ words to say the least is not the best answer to the problem on hand and has cost the tax payer.

The Deputy Minister’s trip to Rome to settle the issue is not a minus but an addition on the national gross expenditure. The problem would have been nipped in the bud long before it got near the fire – demonstration. If the Ambassador had quickly summoned a meeting of the Association representatives and acted like a family head to explain the issue even before letters were sent around to the Associations on the increase that would have helped matters.

The Deputy Minister’s intervention has defused tension but has not taken the wood out of the fire yet, as he is being asked to back his words with action that very soon the Ministry would send directives to all of Ghana’s Missions abroad, except the U.K. to charge a common fee. That has not been carried out in three months after that meeting.

And whilst we are still at it why promise that the Ministry would issue a directive to charge a common fee when he arrives in Accra having earlier said such fees are debated in Parliament which may takes weeks, months or even years.

I expect sanity to prevail upon the appointment by the Government of a new Ambassador to Italy. Whether the decision has a bearing on the impasse of the passport issue or not the authorities are in the best position to answer but it goes without saying the new Ambassador might know what is ahead of him on this passport issue among his numerous duties as he takes his seat in his new office. Leaders must respect the integrity of the people they have been entrusted to manage. Without the people their position is insignificant. The Ghana Embassy in Italy and the population of Ghanaians in Italy prior to the passport feud have not had these set backs. The populace of Ghanaians in Italy need the Embassy likewise the Embassy has a lot to achieve with Ghanaians in Italy.