Chief Imam bounces visa contractors

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu, has distanced himself from a correspondence written in the name of his office endorsing a visa application at the Spanish Embassy.

A correspondence purported to have been written in the name of his office and signed by a man who has ceased being a staff of his office in respect of a visa applicant, Muhammed Muntala Waziri, reads, “Kindly accept the compliments of the highest regard from the Office of The National Chief Imam (ONCI) and grand mufti of Ghana. I wish to introduce the above-mentioned name who is the imam of the MASID NUR base in Accra.

Imam and his family intend to embark on a tour of your esteem country for holidays and to explore some opportunities and establish acquaintances for mutual benefit.

I, therefore, strongly recommend that you accord them the necessary support to enable them to embark on the said trip.”

The Chief Imam has denied being behind the 16/09/14 correspondence and warns missions not to countenance any such requests in his name.

Last Saturday during the funeral of Alhaji Rashid Ali, a shipping magnate, during which a cross section of the Islamic community turned up, the Islamic cleric warned those using his name for visa connections to desist from the habit.

“I do not get involved in visa connections and so who do so in my name should desist from the habit. Information has come to me that some persons have been using the letterhead of my office to apply for visas. No mission should countenance such request without recourse to me,” he said.