The Italian Embassy in Accra has employed the services of VSF, an Indian company with expertise in the provision of visa advisory services, to help it handle the large number of people who throng the embassy daily for visas. Effective July 1, Ghanaians seeking Italian visas will apply through VSF instead of forming long queues at the embassy, the Ambassador of Italy, Dr Fabrizio De Agostini, has said. The move is to provide better services to visa seekers, some of whom spend the night at the embassy in order that they will be the first in line when the embassy opens in the morning. It is also to align the country’s visa system with Schenggen countries of which Italy is a member. Dr De Agostini said this when he paid a courtesy call on the Managing Director of New Times Corporation, Mr. Kofi Asuman, yesterday. Officially, he said there are 30,000 Ghanaians legally resident in Italy, and added that due to the number of family members joining them, the actual number of Ghanaian residents in the country could be as high as 50,000. He praised Ghanaians living in Italy as law abiding, hardworking and said they have a better reputation than many other nationals. Aside the economic assistance that Italy extends to Ghana, he said there are also cultural exchanges between the two countries. Currently, Italy is rehabilitating Fort Apollonia in Cape Coast to preserve the cultural heritage of the country. He also announced that Italy will soon launch the second phase of the Ghana Private Sector Development Fund to support small and medium enterprises in Ghana. The first phase was launched in 2003 with an initial funding of €10 million to give soft loans to SMEs. The Italian government has doubled the funding (€20million) and more attention will be focused on businesses in the three northern regions and women entrepreneurs. Mr. Asuman praised the bilateral relationship that exists between Ghana and Italy and recognised the support the country had extended to Ghana over the years. Although the embassy had been doing a lot of good things in the country, very few people know about them, for which reason he urged Italy to involve the media in whatever they do for people to appreciate their support to the country. "Our doors are widely open, get us involved in whatever you do for people to appreciate what you are doing," he stated. Management staff present at the meeting included the Editor of the Ghanaian Times, Ms. Ajoa Yeboah-Afari; Mr. Ebo Quansah, Editor, Special Duties; Ms. Jane Turkson, Chief Administrative Manager and Mrs. Elizabeth Nunoo, Chief Marketing Manager. Source: The Ghanaian Times