Ghana: Immigration And CEPS Snub Ecowas Protocol Forum

allAfrica.com: Ghana: Immigration And CEPS Snub Ecowas Protocol Forum

Frederick Asiamah

29 May 2009

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) on Wednesday snubbed a stakeholders press briefing on the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement to avoid questions from the media regarding allegations of illegal collection of monies at the country's borders.

It came to light at the event that while it was easy for migrants to cross other border posts in the West African sub-region, it was "hell" for migrants, including Ghanaian citizens, to cross Ghana's border posts due to extortion by border officials.

The West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) in collaboration with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and other partners organised the stakeholders press briefing in Accra as part of the 30 years celebration of the protocol. The partners include the Abusua Foundation, the Ghana Youth Council, the Ghana Youth Network, the National Union of Ghana Students, the CEPS, the GIS and the Ghana Police Service.

The conditions prevailing at the borders of Ghana undermine the long held belief that Ghana is the gateway to West Africa, observed Mrs. Sussan Naa Sekyere, Deputy Public Affairs Officer of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC).

Having crossed the borders herself on numerous occasions, Mrs Sekyere bemoaned the treatment that Ghanaian traders, especially those who crossover to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes, go through regularly.

Ms Gertrude Adu Yebo, executive member of WACSOF, was of the view that "There's nothing like free movement" given what transpired at the borders.

Ms Bashiratu Kamal, Women's Commissioner of NUGS, said on behalf of the organizers that with the benefit of hindsight, "...it has become obvious that a lot of education needs to be done to raise awareness not only of citizens but also of immigration officials and other stakeholders so that the movement across the sub region is made easier for community citizens."

The Women's Commissioner enumerated a number of obstacles that still confront the effective enforcement of the protocol. These include: different official languages of member states; absence of adequate mechanisms to control infiltration of criminals and other human or drug traffickers; lack of harmonization between national laws and policies with ECOWAS protocols and decisions; and inadequate road infrastructure just limited to national territories.

These hindrances, according to OSIWA and its partners, have resulted in a situation where "...many West African migrants leave their home countries without proper travel documents and enter host countries irregularly even though if they were in possession of travel and health certificates to which they are entitled they would have been able to enter through regular channels."

The partners have chosen 29th May to carry out sensitization discussions with border officials and citizens in the border town of Aflao to ensure greater fluidity for West African travelers.

The partners also aim to advocate no fee payments at land borders; and to "raise awareness on the ECOWAS Protocol on Movement of Persons based on the motto: One People, One Community."

ECOWAS adopted the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods, the Rights of Residence and Establishment on May 29 1979. Essentially, the protocol gave citizens the right to freely enter, reside and establish economic activities within the territory of member states for a maximum of ninety days.