ECOWAS citizens don't need visas to enter Ghana from July - Hanna Tetteh

The government says with effect from July this year, ECOWAS citizens will not have to apply for visa on arrival in Ghana. 

This is contained in a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration. 

It comes in reaction to reports on some websites that Nigerian citizens traveling to Ghana will have to apply for visas on arrival in the country. 

The statement said all ECOWAS citizens including those from the Federal Republic of Nigeria will continue to be allowed entry into Ghana as per the provisions of the ECOWAS Protocol A/P.1/5/79 relating to Free movement of persons, residence and establishment. 

It says people misconstrued President John Mahama's statement on ECOWAS movement in his State of the Nation Address presented to Parliament on the 25th of February this year. 

The President said with effect from July this year, Ghana  would allow citizens of member states of the African Union (AU) to enter into Ghana and obtain visas on arrival with the option to stay for up to 30 days in the country. 

It says earlier in his address, the President noted that it was possible to travel within ECOWAS member states without obtaining visas but this was not generally the case within the continent. 

He further stated that the objective of this policy initiative was to open up Ghana to the rest of the continent and to stimulate increased air travel, trade, investments and tourism between Ghana and the rest of the continent. 

The statement emphasized that the policy stated by the President does not apply to all citizens of AU member states. 

It therefore assured citizens of ECOWAS member states, including Nigerians that their entry into the country will not be affected by the new policy initiative about to be introduced later this year.  


GBC