Ecowas Travel Protocol: Fact or fallacy?
Last week I travelled with a group of colleagues to Aflao, a border town in the Ketu South District in the Volta Region, on an official assignment.
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On the conclusion of the assignment we decided to cross over to Lome, the Togolese capital, for sightseeing and, perhaps, do some shopping.
The Ghanaian officials at the border: immigration, customs and health were extremely professional in the discharge of their duties.
Our joy was turned into a nightmare when we attempted to cross over the Togolese side of the border to enter Lome.
The Togolese Immigration Officer who attended to us demanded to inspect our passports and since we did not carry them along, we presented our Ghana Cards for verification. It was gladly accepted.
Thereafter, we were ushered into a room and the Togolese Health Officer requested for our Yellow Fever Vaccination cards. We did not carry any. She would not let us pass until we presented the cards.
Upon persistent plea we each had to reluctantly pay GH¢20. It was higher, but we negotiated.
We observed that many Ghanaian citizens, mostly women, who ply their trade to and from Lome were all in a queue to pay GH¢10 each in order to be permitted to cross, even after showing the Ghana cards.
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Subsequently, we discovered that this was the accepted practice known to regular travellers across the border, even though it is illegal and against the Ecowas Travel Protocol agreement.
In less than two hours’ time we returned, thinking the return journey would be smoother. But lo and behold, it was the same ordeal.
The Togolese Immigration Officer insisted we pay GH¢50, even after we produced our Ghana Cards. He originally insisted that we should present our passports. We had to plead before he finally accepted GH¢20 from each of us. We were three.
On arrival at the Ghana side we complained about our ordeal to an immigration officer who only sympathised and consoled us. He said there was nothing they could do about the situation on the Ghana side. Simply, it was beyond their control.
Meanwhile, receipts were not issued for these payments. This is plain exploitation and an organised robbery.
Interestingly, Togolese nationals crossing to and from Ghana at the border do not go through similar ordeal neither at the hands of their compatriots nor the Ghanaian officials. They enjoy unhindered travel across the border.
Subsequently, we were informed that when crossing the border to Lome and you appear a little "middle class", decently dressed and also the uninitiated, excessive monetary demand is made on such a traveller.
May the Foreign Ministry quickly investigate these breaches of the Ecowas Travel Protocol, more particularly from our francophone neighbours, to intervene in this ‘robbery’.
The Ecowas Travel Protocol, particularly the free movement of citizens, must be a reality and not a fallacy.
Kwame Ablordey
Adenta, Accra.