News:
October 14, 2018
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Frank Annoh-Dompreh has urged the African Union (AU) to champion the drive for the popularization of the free movement protocol.
According to the Nsawam/Adoagyiri lawmaker, the AU should zero in on African countries that have remained adamant in their attitude, which would not facilitate the bigger dream of the continent.
He further added that visa free movement agreed upon with 2018 as a deadline cannot be met, as countries such as Mauritania, Ghana, Senegal and others have shown goodwill by the passage of laws that allows a ninety (90) day stay in their countries without visa.
Mr. Frank Annoh-Dompreh made this at the need of a two days conference in Dakar Senegal, in which he represented Parliament of Ghana and added that, he was confident Ghana would ratify the protocol soon adding, fifteen (15) countries are needed for it to come into force.
The vision is not towards visa relaxation, but, total abolition.
“Some successes had been chalked; relaxation of visa regimes by some African countries like Ethiopia, whiles number of African countries are willing to ratify the protocol has increased from fifteen (15) to thirty-two out of the fifty-two countries. Rwanda is the only African country that has ratified the protocol”, he said.
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee lamented over the current system where it is more expensive to travel within the sub region than to travel outside the continent, with even a longer travel hours and pointed out that it is totally unacceptable.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com