You don't need diplomatic passports to promote Ghana unless govt sends you - Pundit

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Entertainment pundit, Vida Adutwumwaa

Entertainment pundit and PRO of 3Music Awards, Vida Adutwumwaa, has given her take on whether or not certain artistes deserve diplomatic passports or not.

Her comments come on the back of remarks by the former French Ambassador to Ghana, Anne-Sophie Ave, when she said that some artists, including Sarkodie and Shatta Wale, should be given diplomatic passports as a means of promoting Ghana.

Speaking on UTV’s United Showbiz on Saturday, August 5, Vida said that unless these artistes are exclusively sent by the government, a diplomatic passport is not needed to represent or sell Ghana.

“There's a difference between working for Ghana and being called to work for Ghana. If an artiste is called by the president to go on a world tour, we should be comfortable with the fact that they do their performances for themselves first before doing it for Ghana.

"I'm not saying if you go international, you are not representing Ghana, but you are not being sent by Ghana,” she stated.

She cited the cases of individuals representing the country for academic or sporting activities, stating that these individuals use their normal passports instead.

“Even individuals who travel out to represent the country for one thing or another, they use their normal passports to travel out, they didn't go with diplomatic or travel passports,” she added.

She explained that an alternative would be a collaboration between artists and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to fast-track their visa processing would be more feasible, and that the rules should not be bent to suit the artists.

“What could be done is, when an artiste is about traveling, during the processing, a letter could be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs detailing his/her intentions.

"This would help the ministry fast-track the visa application process. There is no need to bend the rules for anybody,” she argued.