Foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey wants the law on diplomatic passports amended following a visa fraud scandal involving MPs.

She suggested an amendment could minimise abuse of the government travel facility to persons so prescribed by law.

The recommendation comes after three sitting MPs and a former MP were cited by the UK High Commission for visa fraud.

In a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, the UK High Commissioner has recounted stories of an alleged visa fraud.

'The wife' of MP for Bia East Richard Acheampong has not returned to Ghana after he used his diplomatic passport to help Esther Tiwaa spend a stipulated 14 days in the UK on Christmas eve 2015.

MP for Ntotroso Joseph Benhazin Dahah's UK visa was cancelled and a 10-year UK visa ban has been imposed on him after the identities of his wife and daughter were changed in their travel application.

MP for Ahafo Ano South West, Johnson Kwaku ADU used a diplomatic passport to aid the travel of his wife and daughter for a 10-day stay in the UK. The two have not returned since July 2016, leading to a ban on his travel to the UK.

L-R: Johnson Kwaku Adu, Richard Acheampong, Joseph Benhazin Dahah and Asunafo South George Boakye

Explaining circumstances surrounding the issuing of diplomatic passports, the Foreign Minister referred to Section 6 of the Passport and Travel Certificate Act 1967 which sets out persons who may qualify for the travel document.

The section provides:

"(1) The Member responsible may issue a diplomatic passport to—

"(a) any member of the Government of Ghana proceeding abroad on official Government business and the wife of such member who accompanies him on his journey;

"(b) any diplomatic representative of Ghana accredited to any other country or to any official international organization as head of mission, and any member of the diplomatic staff of such representative;

"(c) any consular officer of Ghana;

"(d) the wife and every member of the immediate family residing with him of any person referred to at

"(b) or (c) to whom a diplomatic passport is issued; and

"(e) the head of any delegation of Ghana attending an international conference or convention at which countries are officially represented.

"(f) any prominent citizen or high public official of Ghana, proceeding abroad who, in the opinion of Government, requires such passport for the purpose for which he is travelling abroad.

The element of discretion in the law creates room for abuse, she observed.

Although the MPs were granted diplomatic passports, the travel document was not used for any official purpose.

The minister said there is a need to 'clean up the system' lamenting that years of abuse has affected the respect accorded Diplomatic Passport holders.

She could not provide immediately the number of persons holding diplomatic passports. The minister said since a change in government, several former government officials have 'by and large' returned their passports.

She said the Ministry would soon send a list of diplomatic passport holders to immigration points at the airport. Anyone who is not on the list will not be accorded easy travel, she said.

She said she uses her diplomatic passport only for official state assignments.