ECOWAS countries are to adopt unified migration checks system to facilitate travel across their borders.
This will reduce the current six check points from Ghana to Nigeria to three. This means therefore that between Aflao and Lome, for instance, there will be a unified team comprising Ghanaians and Togolese Immigration Officials to process travelers once instead of multiple checks at either side of the border.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Mr. Modestus, Yaw Zebu Ahiable disclosed this whilst briefing the media in Cotonou, Benin as he received a Ghanaian delegation returning from the 7th” Akwaaba” Tourism Fair held in Lagos, Nigeria last weekend.
He said the modalities of the new system were being worked out to conduct to the ECOWAS protocols of 1975. It will be funded by the European Union (EU).
Mr. Ahiable said the seemingly slow procedures encountered by travelers had been due to their incidence of smuggling and the movement of small arms, narcotics and child trafficking and added that a few things were now being sorted out so that people could move more freely from country to country.
“We should be able to move more freely due to our common cultural backgrounds and relationships, together with the improvement of the road network”, he stressed.
Already, he said, no visa was required for citizens of ECOWAS to travel from one country to the other, as stipulated in the ECOWAS protocols, and urged travelers who wished to visit Ghana from Benn to feel free to contact the embassy for assistance.
According to Mr. Ahiable, the arrangement would further enhance tourism development among member countries and called for closer collaboration among travel and tourism agencies in the neighbouring nations.
Noting the cordial relations between Ghana and the Republic of Benin, the ambassador citied an increase in the number of student exchanges between the two nations especially those who want to sharpen their French or English in each other’s country.
He described this development as one of the benefits of democracy and the dividend of people and stability which were should cherish and maintain.”
The Executive Director of the Ghana Tourist Board, Mr. Julius Debrah, called on tour operators to take cognizance of the preferences of the modern traveler to West Africa from Europe and America, most of whom were intent on visiting more than one country with a single air ticket and expand their tour packages accordingly.
He advised private tourism operators in Ghana and Benin to collaborate on standards and issues of mutual benefits.
For the individual visitor, families and groups Mr. Debrah said ‘Ghana is yours to discover’, adding that a detailed cost analysis showed that it was not too expensive to spend one’s weekend or holidays in a neighbouring country.
He invited football clubs and other sports organizations in the sub-region which spend huge sums of money to camp in far away continents to come over to Ghana to utilize the modern stadia put up for the 2008 Africa Nations on Tournament as well as facilities for hockey, golf and polo.
The Executive director of the Ghana Tourist Board Mr. Julius Debra, called on tour operators to take cognizance of the preferences of the modern traveler to West Africa from Europe and America, most of whom were intent on visit more than one country with a single air ticket, and expand their tour packages accordingly.
This will reduce the current six check points from Ghana to Nigeria to three. This means therefore that between Aflao and Lome, for instance, there will be a unified team comprising Ghanaians and Togolese Immigration Officials to process travelers once instead of multiple checks at either side of the border.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Mr. Modestus, Yaw Zebu Ahiable disclosed this whilst briefing the media in Cotonou, Benin as he received a Ghanaian delegation returning from the 7th” Akwaaba” Tourism Fair held in Lagos, Nigeria last weekend.
He said the modalities of the new system were being worked out to conduct to the ECOWAS protocols of 1975. It will be funded by the European Union (EU).
Mr. Ahiable said the seemingly slow procedures encountered by travelers had been due to their incidence of smuggling and the movement of small arms, narcotics and child trafficking and added that a few things were now being sorted out so that people could move more freely from country to country.
“We should be able to move more freely due to our common cultural backgrounds and relationships, together with the improvement of the road network”, he stressed.
Already, he said, no visa was required for citizens of ECOWAS to travel from one country to the other, as stipulated in the ECOWAS protocols, and urged travelers who wished to visit Ghana from Benn to feel free to contact the embassy for assistance.
According to Mr. Ahiable, the arrangement would further enhance tourism development among member countries and called for closer collaboration among travel and tourism agencies in the neighbouring nations.
Noting the cordial relations between Ghana and the Republic of Benin, the ambassador citied an increase in the number of student exchanges between the two nations especially those who want to sharpen their French or English in each other’s country.
He described this development as one of the benefits of democracy and the dividend of people and stability which were should cherish and maintain.”
The Executive Director of the Ghana Tourist Board, Mr. Julius Debrah, called on tour operators to take cognizance of the preferences of the modern traveler to West Africa from Europe and America, most of whom were intent on visiting more than one country with a single air ticket and expand their tour packages accordingly.
He advised private tourism operators in Ghana and Benin to collaborate on standards and issues of mutual benefits.
For the individual visitor, families and groups Mr. Debrah said ‘Ghana is yours to discover’, adding that a detailed cost analysis showed that it was not too expensive to spend one’s weekend or holidays in a neighbouring country.
He invited football clubs and other sports organizations in the sub-region which spend huge sums of money to camp in far away continents to come over to Ghana to utilize the modern stadia put up for the 2008 Africa Nations on Tournament as well as facilities for hockey, golf and polo.
The Executive director of the Ghana Tourist Board Mr. Julius Debra, called on tour operators to take cognizance of the preferences of the modern traveler to West Africa from Europe and America, most of whom were intent on visit more than one country with a single air ticket, and expand their tour packages accordingly.
