Glasgow father of 2 facing deportation over '˜admin error'

Lord Apetsi is facing being deported from the UK tomorrow. Picture: Michael Gillen

Lord Apetsi could be deported back to Ghana after human error led to his ‘leave to remain’ form being submitted late, according to the National Union of Students (NUS).

The Ghanaian has lived in Glasgow for nine years and is the primary care giver for his two children.

The Scottish Government has ramped up the pressure of the Home Office to overturn the decision, calling for an ‘urgent review’ of his case before he is put on a plane tomorrow at London Standsted.

Social justice secretary Alex Neil wrote to the Home Office over the weekend demanding an urgent investigation.

He said: ““The suggestion that he is going to be removed from the UK as a result of the failure of his lawyer to act in time is a concern to Scottish ministers.

“I would urge the Home Office to review this case as a matter of urgency.”

Several SNP MPs, including MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North Gavin Newlands, have written directly to Home Secretary Theresa May to intervene personally.

100 protesters also demonstrated outside the Scotland Office in Edinburgh on Monday in support of Apetsi, who was last week elected the asylum-seeker and refugee officer of NUS Scotland,

Glasgow Central MP Alison Thewliss told Buzzfeed that the UK government was acting “completely out of line”.

She said: “It is wrong that his life can be turned upside down, that he can be separated from his children and taken for removal. I urge the Home Office to reverse their decision and return Lord immediately to his family and friends in Glasgow.”

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