Thomas Partey visa saga exposes need for proactive planning – Robert Klah

Head of Public Events and Communications at Charterhouse Ghana, Robert Klah, has weighed in on the visa challenges Ghana's midfielder Thomas Partey faced during his international engagements in Canada.

Speaking during a discussion on Hitz FM on June 17, 2026, Robert stressed the importance of respecting the laws of sovereign nations while urging Ghanaian authorities to take proactive measures to prevent similar situations from affecting national team players in the future.

Drawing a comparison with the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he noted that countries have the right to enforce their own laws regardless of the nature of international events being hosted.

“We went to Qatar, and as per their national rules, alcohol is forbidden. It’s got nothing to do with whether FIFA is or not. The rules of the country are the rules of the country, and you have to respect that,” he said.

According to him, the government should play a more active role in ensuring that players representing Ghana are able to travel without complications when international tournaments or assignments arise.

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“I’m thinking that should we get to that particular point where we are saying for as long as every player’s role in the national team is important, the government of the day, every time any of these programs are about to happen should take an interest in ensuring that they can be able to enter into other countries, even if it’s diplomatic passport,” he stated.

Robert Klah suggested that Ghana's foreign affairs authorities could help address such challenges before they escalate, noting that FIFA's powers in such matters are limited.

“If our foreign ministries can do something about these things ahead of time, then the diplomatic thing is sorted out 100%; otherwise, the only thing FIFA can do is give an appeal. Every country is sovereign, so we really need to respect that,” he shared.

He further emphasized the need for Ghana to be proactive in dealing with travel and immigration-related issues involving national team players.

“I think we need to be a bit proactive in that particular space. If they wanted to let people know that their laws are working, they’ve used one particular person to let them know that the laws are working,” he added.

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