Rwanda seems to have gone ahead of Ghana in a number of national development indicators, major among them, making Kigali, its capital the cleanest city in Africa and making ICT effcient, but at least Ghana has beaten Rwanda in one thing – Ghana is fulfilling a free visa deal between the two, while Rwanda is yet to.
A reciprocal visa deal between Ghana and Rwanda was announced last November.
In a November 22, 2015 letter announcing the reciprocal visa waiver deal copied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Rwanda, citizens of the two countries are entitled to visit each other visa-free.
“The Government of the Republic of Ghana in a reciprocal act has waived the visa requirements for Rwandese travelling to Ghana. Rwandese nationals will now go to Ghana visa free,” the letter signed by Ghana’s Honorary Consul in Kigali, Denis Kerera said.
While Ghana is allowing Rwandan citizens to enter the country without requiring a visa, Ghanaian citizens on the other hand need a visa to enter Rwanda. Rwanda citizens only need to show their passport at Ghana’s international airport and all they get is an immigration stamp! But Ghanaian citizens travelling to Rwanda pay for visa. There is no free entry for Ghanaians.
In addition to ECOWAS member countries, Ghana has similar reciprocal deals with other African countries such as Uganda, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Citizens of these countries can enter Ghana without a visa, just as Ghanaians are allowed to enter these countries without requiring a visa.
But ghanabusinessnews.com can confirm that Rwandan citizens enter Ghana visa-free, while Ghanaians pay the mandatory $30 visa fee at any Rwandan border.
Immigration officers at the Kotoka International Airport and other Rwandan citizens who have visited Ghana since the deal was signed have also confirmed to ghanabusinessnews.com that Rwandans do not require visas to enter Ghana.
In a telephone interview today, July 24, 2016, Mr. Kerera told ghanabusinessnews.com, that government officials and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kigali were busy during the just ended 27th AU Summit and he was going to take the matter up with them this week.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
Copyright © 2016 by Creative Imaginations Publicity
All rights reserved. This news item or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in reviews.