German Embassy Worried Over Delays

Accra, May 11, GNA - Mr. Peter Linder, the German Ambassador, has expressed worry over the delay by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in issuing tickets to Ghanaians who would like to watch next summer's World Cup, which is just a month away.

The Ambassador said with the present situation, as it stands, it means that the German Embassy, would be inundated with visa applications, days to the World Cup which would make their work very difficult and can result in some genuine people with the needed documents being denied visas.

He said it is unfortunate that they cannot do anything about the present situation as the issuance of tickets is totally out of their hands and is now the responsibility the of the GFA, in line with the directive of FIFA who deals directly with member associations when it comes to tickets.

Mr Linder pleaded with all those interested in travelling to Germany not to wait till the last minute to submit their documents as they can even do that without tickets but can use the evidence of payment, being the pay-in slip at the bank.

"What is more worrying is the fact that FIFA has set the date for the change of ownership as far tickets are concerned to first of June, meaning that people who purchase the tickets and to next get the necessary travel documents have just few days to look for prospective buyers to sell them to.

"My worry is that under the present situation people who are issued with tickets late and are not able to find buyers would have their tickets go waste as ticket can be sold on the black market as all tickets will be individualised".

FIFA for this year's world cup decided to individualise all tickets thus anybody who buys ticket would have his bio-data sent to Germany and would be checked at the gates before they are allowed to enter to forestall any act of terrorism.

The German Ambassador said in anticipation of the increasing pressure on them for visas for the World Cup the embassy increased its staff by 10 recently but unfortunately some are idle for lack of brisk business anticipated.

He said, "in addition to increasing our staff strength; we have also hired the opposite building, set up a call centre for information to how to acquire visas and hired an agency to handle the processing of form."

Mr. Linder said it is not the intention of the embassy to turn away any Ghanaian who wants to go to the World Cup with the relevant documentation but when things persist this way and everything is dumped on them at the last minute processing of documents would be difficult. This is Ghana's maiden appearance at the FIFA World Cup and they are in Group E alongside Italy, Czech Republic and the United States of America.

The Stars first match will be against Italy on June 12 in Hanover, followed by the encounter against the Czechs on June 17 in Cologne before they round off their group matches against USA on June 22 in Nuremburg.

Accra, May 11, GNA - Mr. Peter Linder, the German Ambassador, has expressed worry over the delay by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in issuing tickets to Ghanaians who would like to watch next summer's World Cup, which is just a month away.

The Ambassador said with the present situation, as it stands, it means that the German Embassy, would be inundated with visa applications, days to the World Cup which would make their work very difficult and can result in some genuine people with the needed documents being denied visas.

He said it is unfortunate that they cannot do anything about the present situation as the issuance of tickets is totally out of their hands and is now the responsibility the of the GFA, in line with the directive of FIFA who deals directly with member associations when it comes to tickets.

Mr Linder pleaded with all those interested in travelling to Germany not to wait till the last minute to submit their documents as they can even do that without tickets but can use the evidence of payment, being the pay-in slip at the bank.

"What is more worrying is the fact that FIFA has set the date for the change of ownership as far tickets are concerned to first of June, meaning that people who purchase the tickets and to next get the necessary travel documents have just few days to look for prospective buyers to sell them to.

"My worry is that under the present situation people who are issued with tickets late and are not able to find buyers would have their tickets go waste as ticket can be sold on the black market as all tickets will be individualised".

FIFA for this year's world cup decided to individualise all tickets thus anybody who buys ticket would have his bio-data sent to Germany and would be checked at the gates before they are allowed to enter to forestall any act of terrorism.

The German Ambassador said in anticipation of the increasing pressure on them for visas for the World Cup the embassy increased its staff by 10 recently but unfortunately some are idle for lack of brisk business anticipated.

He said, "in addition to increasing our staff strength; we have also hired the opposite building, set up a call centre for information to how to acquire visas and hired an agency to handle the processing of form."

Mr. Linder said it is not the intention of the embassy to turn away any Ghanaian who wants to go to the World Cup with the relevant documentation but when things persist this way and everything is dumped on them at the last minute processing of documents would be difficult. This is Ghana's maiden appearance at the FIFA World Cup and they are in Group E alongside Italy, Czech Republic and the United States of America.

The Stars first match will be against Italy on June 12 in Hanover, followed by the encounter against the Czechs on June 17 in Cologne before they round off their group matches against USA on June 22 in Nuremburg.