Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has said the reason behind the Akufo Addo government’s ban on foreign travels for Ministers and other appointees is the fact that, foreign Embassies in Ghana have resolved not to issue visas enbloc to appointees after it was established that many of them have been involved in human trafficking and visa racketeering.

According to him, Akufo Addo government has disgraced itself in the eyes of the international community such that the foreign Embassies and Missions do not trust the government any longer.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo has banned all his ministers, deputy ministers, MMDCEs and all government appointees from embarking on foreign trips.

A memo sent to all government appointees by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare stated that only the Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey is exempted from the directive.

The memo added that guidelines in respect of future foreign travels aimed at minimizing disruption to Government’s domestic work will be communicated shortly.

But speaking to Host Kweku Owusu Agyei aka Patoo on Anopa Kasapa on Kaasapa FM Monday, Koku Anyidoho slammed the Chief of Staff accusing her of trying to throw dust into the eyes of the Ghanaian public saying, the real reason behind the government action is the position adopted by the foreign Embassies.

“They have disgraced themselves in the eyes of the international community, they’ve been engaged in human trafficking and doing business with their foreign travels and the Embassies have told the government they’ll grant visas anymore. Yes, that is what is happening within the last one and half years they’ve made huge sums of monies from trafficking several people.

“So Chief of Staff, Frema Osei Opare it is not for you to tell Ghanaians that government has placed a ban on foreign travels. That has not been done, rather it’s the Embassies that have made it clear that they’ll not grant such whole sale visas anymore. They’ve done so because they say they’re fed up with the Akufo Addo government’s criminal act of human trafficking and visa racketeering. The embassies have rather banned government appointees from traveling. The visa connection is too much, they’ve been disgraced, they’ve been embarrassed by international community. Why did the President travel with over 200 people when he attended the UN General Assembly. Even the likes of Eyadema and Mobutu didn’t do that. The Akufo Addo administration is such a disgrace to Ghana. The Chief of Staff should not throw dust into our eyes.”