Former President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana in 2016 welcomed all Africans with open arms to the country through a visa-free entry policy. During the 59th anniversary of Ghana’s independence, President Mahama stressed African unity and announced that citizens of all African Union member states would be offered a visa upon arrival if they visited the country.
During his address, the then-President said that from July 2016, nationals of AU member states will be allowed to enter the country and apply for a visa upon arrival, with the option to stay up to 30 days. The new policy aims to open Ghana to the world by stimulating tourism, travel, trade and investment.
Ghana currently allows visa-free travel to just 15 countries, most of which are members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Mahama’s statement was initially misinterpreted
The statement by the former President of Ghana had sparked controversy when some citizens of the West African region misinterpreted it. At the forefront of the antagonistic side were Nigerian citizens who had a twisted notion of applying for visas to enter Ghana. An understandable tally of events that we say given the bad blood that has existed between the two countries in the past (Ghana must go / Nigeria must go).
But the country’s then foreign minister, Hannah Tetteh, came out to lend more weight to Mahama’s testimony.
The ECOWAS Protocol was launched in May1979 after being approved by the Heads of State and Government. The policy was approved with the motive of regional integration in the West African region. Regional integration in this sense would have the advantage of bringing about the collective development of social, economic and cultural activities in the sub-region.
Visa on arrival
Visa on arrival is inherently rare among African countries. Reports have shown that it is easier for an American passport holder to travel to African countries than for Africans. This undoubtedly represents a barrier to interstate trade and relations between African nationals. Seychelles is the only African country with open visa access to African Union member states.
The new entry visa policy to be implemented by Ghana was influenced by an agreement adopted at the AU Executive Board meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The resolution called for all African Union (AU) member states to review their internal and external security realities to put in place mechanisms that would allow the issuance of visas on arrival for their citizens with the possibility of a 30-day stay.
Visa upon entry
The media has not confirmed the implementation of the visa-free entry policy promised by the former President of Ghana in 2016. This policy would be a giant step in uniting the continent in solidarity with Pan-Africanism.
We sincerely hope that Ghana’s decision, if implemented, will be the real beginning of Pan-Africanism, as other African countries are expected to follow suit to achieve One Africa.
Issuance of visas on arrival also means more allies, as well as a stronger partnership and trust between African countries.
Visa free countries for Ghanaians
Just as Ghana is trying to accommodate other African countries, some countries in Africa are doing the same. The Ghanaian passport is accepted in over 40 countries on the African continent. Reportedly, Ghana’s international passport is one of the most respected in Africa, ranking 73rd in the Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index.
Some of these countries include Bangladesh, where a Ghanaian can go visa-free for 90 days. There is also Barbados, a country in North America. A Ghanaian can stay here for up to 6 months without a visa.
To name a few, other countries Ghanaians can travel to without a visa are:
Cape Verde – 180 days
Benin – 90 days
Burkina Faso – only a valid passport from a Ghanaian in this country is required to guarantee a stay.
Dominica -180 days This island republic in the north of America, a Ghanaian can stay in the country for 6 months without a visa. However, the Ghanaian citizen must present a valid passport upon arrival.