US visas have never been in low demand. Many a Ghanaian and other nationals would prefer landing an entry permit into the land of varied opportunities.
Some have tried various means of acquiring it foul and genuine.
These are not normal times for both the US and Ghana however. Wrong remarks or moves can incur the wrath of President Donald Trump. Under the circumstances he could easily slap a tariff on a country or single out an individual for a visa ban or suspension. There are countless evidence in this direction.
Entry for Ghanaians into that country has come under a punitive action of sorts in the past few days.
The previous five year multiple entry visa has been replaced with a shortened version which obviously slaps a strain on those who travel to that country a lot.
Our Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s recent busybody approach to international issues especially regarding that country has been regarded by many as the cause of the predicament.
The reparation matter he triggered during a recent engagement with a top US politician attracted widespread publicity which could have had Donald Trump whingeing.
Our top diplomat was recently in the news when he ordered the Ghana mission in the US shut down because he suspected financial malfeasances and wanted to undertake a forensic auditing of the setup. To date we are yet to be told what he found out.
He had already opened his mouth too widely accusing the former Ghana Ambassador to that country of unfounded wrongs.
When he was nominated Foreign Affairs Minister many political observers and knowing his propaganda stints wondered how he was going to wean himself of the traits.
It appears it has been difficult to do so. He should seek a solution to this habitual moral drawback of lying to score political points.
Now that the US visa has taken a new form not favouring Ghanaians we do not know what the minister’s reaction would be.
One of the possible options he could explore but which he could be advised against is inviting the US envoy to register his opprobrium to the visa move.
Learning the ropes of diplomacy is something our minister and others who have just assumed new roles in that sphere is a must lest they trip and incur avoidable punitive reactions.
The closure of the Ghanaian mission in Washington and the accompanying negative press was unnecessary.
Little wonder the closure was brief and as to what the action achieved only the minister knows. By and large however the closure was counterproductive exposing the underbelly of a novice diplomat to public attacks.
