*Go back and watch Wode's comments in the IG post in OP
Akufo-Addo approves visa-free travel for African citizens ahead of 2025
12/25/24
According to a report by Asaase News, the visa-free travel policy was granted executive approval on Wednesday, 18 December 2024, and will take effect in early 2025, positioning Ghana as the fifth African nation to open its borders to all African passport holders.
President Akufo-Addo first made this commitment during the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2024, held under the theme
“Developing Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add Value and Trade.”
Addressing over 2,000 business executives and political leaders, Akufo-Addo emphasised Ghana’s commitment to fostering the free movement of people, a key objective of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Many of you had to acquire a visa to come to this event. The government of Ghana is committed to ensuring visa-free travel for all Africans entering our country, and the process has begun to implement this policy this year,” the President assured.
This initiative aligns with the African Union’s mission to establish the world’s largest single market by easing the movement of goods, services, and people across borders. Ghana, the host of the AfCFTA Secretariat, follows Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin in instituting visa-free entry for African citizens.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, alongside the Ministry of the Interior, has commenced preparations to operationalise the policy, with the Ghana Immigration Service expected to announce the official start date, anticipated to be January 1, 2025.
The visa-free policy is seen as a major step towards addressing the travel frustrations expressed by African business leaders, including Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote, who previously highlighted the burdensome process of applying for multiple visas across the continent.
As Ghana implements this policy, the country honours the legacy of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, its first president and a champion of African unity, further cementing its role in Africa’s economic integration and the AfCFTA’s vision of a borderless continent
