The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyini has been denied a visa by the Netherlands Embassy on the grounds that he may not return back to Ghana.
Suhuyini in a rejoinder sighted by Starrfm.com.gh said he has appealed to the decision by the Embassy and would report them to Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deal with the matter when he hears from them.
The MP further said the reasons cited by the Embassy amount to disrespect to the Ghanaian State Officials and Diplomats.
“Beautiful family and deny me an entry visa on the basis that; there was insufficient evidence that I have significant social or economic ties to my country to prompt my return after my intended visit, could only have been deliberately taken to provoke me and also undermine Ghanaian state officials and diplomats,” the rejoinder had it.
Alhassan Suhuyini is among the eight (8) Members of Parliament (MPs) who are promoting the LGBTQ bill in Parliament.
Speaking on Starr Chat with sit-in host Francis Abban on Starr FM Wednesday, he pointed out that the biggest challenge of those in the LGBTQ community is harassment they suffer from Ghanaians who abhor the act.
The lawmaker said the LGBTQ bill will enhance the law on assault thereby protecting persons in the LGBTQ community from abuse.
“Once that bill becomes law you can report somebody and actually get a lawyer to prosecute that person on your behalf for attacking you because you were accused of being gay,” Hon. Suhuyini stated.
Below is the full rejoinder.
Rejoinder: Suhuyini reveals recent visa denial, refuses to link it to LGBTQ+
I have seen news publications suggesting that I was denied a Visa by an unnamed Embassy due to my association with the PROMOTION OF PROPER HUMAN SEXUAL RIGHTS AND GHANAIAN FAMILY VALUES BILL, 2021.
Since I received correspondence that communicated the decision of the said Embassy, I have been inundated by calls from well-meaning Ghanaian reporters and activists who without doubt believed that this very offensive decision of the Embassy is related to Bill seven (7) of my colleagues and I are promoting.
I consider myself deeply reflective and fair-minded, so I restrained myself and all those who tried to convince me that the reasons for my denial of the Visa were either than what the correspondence from the embassy communicated. I assumed at the time that the Protocol Officer, who at the time of processing my application was also dealing with other equally important domestic issues, may have faulted in the documents presented.
I, therefore, have since taken steps to appraise every document or information and have since appealed the Embassy’s decision.
However, all the information I now have convinced me that the Protocol Officer submitted all appropriate documents.
Therefore, for the Netherlands Embassy to ignore my;
1] status as Member of Parliament of Ghana with the responsibility to an entire Constituency, which was known to them.
2] valid travel visas to the UK and USA and my numerous previous travel record where I have never overstayed.
3] beautiful family and deny me an entry visa on the basis that; there was insufficient evidence that I have significant social or economic ties to my country to prompt my return after my intended visit, could only have been deliberately taken to provoke me and also undermine Ghanaian state officials and diplomats.
After the determination of my appeal, I will make a formal complaint to our country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deal with this gross disrespect.
Anyone with the slightest knowledge of me knows that as a young person, even when I lived in conditions that justified migration abroad and migration was popular, I was never attracted to it, I’m a proud Ghanaian who believe in contributing to making our country attractive too to foreigners. How lame, If the penalty for supporting the PROMOTION OF PROPER HUMAN SEXUAL RIGHTS AND GHANAIAN FAMILY VALUES BILL, 2021 is the denial of an entry visa into the Netherlands.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
