The Press Attaché at the United States Embassy in Ghana is advising Ghana government officials to follow “simple procedures” and get their visas. Ben East told sit-in host of the Super Morning Show, Evans Mensah on Friday “when Ghana government officials want to travel they send their applications to the Embassy under a cover of diplomatic note, and when this procedure is followed, visas are generally issued without delay, almost immediately.” “This is a long standing agreement between the US and the government of Ghana and it provides for simplicity that can be followed by any Ghana government official who wants to travel to the US,” he said. The denial of visas by the US Embassy to two government officials, Ato Ahwoi, Board chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and Dr Oteng Adjei, Minister of Energy recently generated some controversy. The Energy Minister was later granted the visa after the presidency intervened. This angered the chairman of the GNPC who allegedly swore not to go to the US anymore. The Enquirer Newspaper which broke the story last week reports in its Friday edition that Mr Ahwoi has now been given his visa but has declined to take it, saying his passport is “busy.” The Press Attaché at the US Embassy would not publicly confirm or deny that they have issued a visa to Mr Ahwoi, explaining that the Embassy does not comment on individual basis. "I can’t talk about individual cases, but I can say that the procedure that is in place, we can remind the MFA here what the procedure is or otherwise let the official know this is the appropriate procedure. A very simple one; get a diplomatic note through the MFA submit the application to us; no need to come see us for interview. “...When that process is followed the visa is issued in most cases,” he said He would not comment on whether Mr Ahwoi did not follow due procedure except to say that there are a number of Ghanaian officials in US who were given visas because they followed due procedures. Play the attached audio for excerpts of the interview with Ben East. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana