Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Samira Bawumia’s delegation to the First World Health Organization Global conference on Air Pollution and Health in Switzerland is made up of six members and not 20.
A request for entry visas from the office of the Vice President to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that the second lady will be going for the conference with five persons and not 20 as suggested by the Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had stated in an article that the list of names submitted to the Foreign Affairs Ministry shows that the second lady plans to travel with some 20 people to the conference.
In the article, titled, ‘Protecting the public purse; travel bans, guidelines and the Bawumias’ Mr Ablakwa said “Even before we see the dying embers of Dr. Bawumia’s ignominious UNCTAD delegation, the Vice President’s wife Samira who refuses to be outdone by her husband is also making the headlines for composing a huge 20 member delegation to the First WHO Conference on Air Pollution and Health slated for 30th October to 1st November, 2018”.
GhanaWeb has however sighted the list presented to the Foreign Affairs from the office of the Vice President which contained a list of six persons, including the first lady.
The other persons on the list are Emmanuel Kwame Twum Asiamah, Projects Coordinator; Zelia Amsat Osman, Aide; Kwame Ofori-Danso, Press Secretary; Joyreen Adubea Gyewu, ADC and Nasiru Salifu, Security.
The application dated 8th October, 2018 and signed by the Head of Protocol at the Office of the Vice President, Enoch Osei-Mensah read “Her Excellency Hajia Samira Ramadan Bawumia will lead a Six(6) member delegation to attend the event and in this connection, it would be appreciated if arrangements could be made to obtain the appropriate Schengen entry visas for the members of Her Excellency’s delegation who do not have valid Schengen Entry visas”.