British High Commission NOT Denying Ghanaians Visas

Accra, Aug. 11, GNA - The British High Commission, Accra on Thursday dismissed as untrue speculations that it had suspended granting visas to Ghanaians because of the involvement of a man, suspected to be Ghanaian, in the London explosions.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) had received calls from some Ghanaians resident in London and in Accra, who wanted to verify speculations in parts of London that the High Commission in Accra had varied the process of issuing visas to Ghanaian applicants because a man believed to have Ghanaian connections had appeared before a British Court for his involvement in the July 21 2005 explosions in London.

"I can state that this is not true. We are currently taking over 250 applications per day. There has been no change to the visa process, nor is any expected," Mr Gary Nicholls, Second Secretary at the High Commission and

Head of Political, Press and Public Affairs, told the GNA. The yet-to-be-confirmed Ghanaian, named as 32 year-old Manfo Kwaku Asiedu was among four bomb suspects charged with conspiracy to murder and were remanded in custody for three months. They will next appear in court on 14 November.

Although initial reports said Asiedu was a Ghanaian, officials at the Ghana High Commission in London are yet to establish his identity.