Nine Ghanaian Nationals Disappear After Entering Norway on Fake Paralympic Team Visa.
Nine nationals from Ghana have gone missing after entering Norway on fraudulent visas under the guise of a Paralympic team. The group had obtained Schengen visas using forged documents to participate in the Fjordkraft Bergen City Marathon.
Authorities discovered the deception when the team failed to register for the marathon. This led to an alert being issued to other Schengen countries and Ghanaian diplomatic missions.
According to Ghana’s Ministry of National Security, nine of the eleven members of the fake team are now unaccounted for. The whereabouts of these individuals remain unknown. One member, identified as the team’s coach, has died, while another has been detained by Norwegian authorities while trying to travel to Sweden.
Ghanaian Paralympic Officials Suspended
In response to the scandal, Ghana’s National Paralympic Committee has suspended two officials indefinitely. These officials are accused of falsifying Schengen visa documents and facilitating the illegal entry of the team into Norway.
The committee’s statement indicates that the officials are unlikely to return to their positions due to their involvement in the scandal.
Impact on Future Schengen Visa Applications
While the European Union has yet to comment officially on the situation, it is anticipated that Ghanaians may face stricter visa regulations in the future.
Those involved in the scandal will be banned from entering the Schengen Area for a period upon their deportation to Ghana. In 2023, Ghanaians submitted 45,421 applications for Schengen visas. Of these, 23,400 were approved, while 21,226 were rejected, according to SchengenVisaInfo statistics.
