GHANIAN IMMIGRATION: OUR ORDEAL AS NIGERIAN JOURNALISTS
Our recent experience is an evidence of brewing face-off between Nigerian government and Ghanaian authorities in the Togo-Ghana border known to many as Aflao. We have set out to Ghana to cover the presidential election after applying and accreditation sent as an approval for the media coverage of the election in President Nana Akufo-Addo’s country. The two countries do not share borders, but it has always felt like we did. That we are separated by Togo and Benin has never really mattered – we feel like we are neighbours. In the course of our voyage especially on arrival at Togo-Ghana border. We were holding our breath and the feeling is maybe we should learn to do without these cousins of ours on arrival at the Aflao bus station which is a stone throw to the border. It was quite late and the election is just few hours. As usual, we decided to approach the immigration and formalize our presence and mission having met with one of the Ghanaian immigration officers who possibly was out that late night for whatever mission even though one of the street boys have pointed at him as one of the immigration officers that is friendly. we approached him immediately and demanded we meet with the sector commander and he obliged after we have made known to him our mission. Before then, we have introduced ourselves as journalists from Nigeria. He quickly smiled and gestured we moved down to the office.
As we all walk down to the office discussing like old friends, not really aware of the fact that the tongue has learn to do without the teeth, and perhaps exacerbated, the rising tensions hidden beneath Nigeria and Ghana border relationship. We matched through different check points, lastly, he stopped briefly to exchange pleasantries with some people that looks like officers too who are not on uniform. Before we finally get to the Ghana Immigration Service complex, he demands for an identification card which we handed over to him, after studying it carefully, he dived into an office that we later got to know it houses the sector commander and the Ghana Immigration Services.
Furthermore, this is not exactly a restful journey. You will need to disembark, cross on foot, and go through slow customs at the Ghana/Togo and Togo/Benin Republic borders. These are funny but not stressful per se, and can actually be a nice way to break up the journey, and stretch your legs.
Now, in the Ghanaian territory of the border. We noticed travelers in their large numbers lying down while others are sitting on the floor. Me and my colleague looked at each other in imagination. Over time, we have collated several questions people have asked about a Nigeria Ghana road trip, and the answer most of these questions we guess it’s not a bad idea to have them all in one single experience. We noticed quite often that they are been called one after another by a particular Ghanaian immigration officer who disappear to God knows where and appear without the supposed victim after sometime.
Indeed, the modern era is that of globalization and regionalism. Integration is vital in enhancing development since it creates larger markets and fosters economies of large scale production and for the developing countries, it also act as a shield and vagaries of globalization especially in ECOWAS were Nigeria and Ghana are member states.
Still floundering what is actually going on and why this multitude where been held at this ungodly hour, someone tapped and called our attention. It turned out to be the immigration officer who have gone with our ID cards, we noticed that the tone has become much less friendly. When we asked him what is the problem, he admitted that his boss is not around and we can’t speak to any superior officer. We decided to present more proof from the Ghana Electoral Commission, he insisted that we must go back to Nigeria or get a clearance from Ghanaian embassy. We told him that the election is just about few hours from now and that we can’t go back to Nigeria with just few kilometers to Accra. After much talk, our press ID card was handed over to us and we made our way back to Togo border. We were surprised that some people who also have the same issue with us were allowed to pass into Ghana after a closer whisper and some exchange anyway to the amount of about ten thousand cedes before you can be allowed to pass, if you refuse to pay you will be detained and taken to a particular spot and locked up. It was gathered that people have been their till God knows when especially Nigerians. We kept our cool and decided to look for Ghana embassy to get clarification letter on that Sunday morning. The decision to purposeful seek help from an Okada rider to take us to Ghana embassy was an option but he insisted that the embassy might not be in operation because of the holiday and he then offered to help us to where we will board to Accra. We passed so many military check points and we were handed over to another set of Okada riders who now took us through another hectic journey to where we entered another bus heading to Accra and were intercepted at a particular check point just few minutes to Accra. Even though it looks like the driver handed us over to them on knowing we are Nigerians. The driver drove into them and we were immediately singled out for interrogation. This set of immigration officers were unprofessional, brutish and uncivil.
However, the Ghanaian situation is not exceptional in what seems to be transpiring as a broader phenomenon but turned worst when they discovered that we are Nigerians and journalists. We were surrounded by over seven immigration officers and attempt was made over our lives by some armed uniform men. After so many emotional or passionate plea and statement clearly restating our stance that we are not a spy agent and that we are in Ghana to cover the election. Our Ghanaian contact was spoken to at this point by these immigration officers but they still feel that we are on a different mission. They refused us entry. Another set of squads was called and we were forced into an awaiting Hilux back to Aflao.
This gives us commonly concerns of current issue between Nigeria and Ghana of love-hate relationship. The unruliness and bad attitudes of this immigration officers speaks volume. On arrival at Aflao we were handed over to an officer who went through a certain report written against us. His countenances suggested to us he may do something not palatable as he moves from one office to another with the report handed over to him. it was now obvious that there is sinister motive been hatched to navigate our course to criminality. While they were cooking their plan to detain and possibly begin the process of jailing us, an office door opened a man on uniform that look like the sector commander stepped out. We greeted him and request for an audience which he gladly accepted and led us into one of the office adjacent to where we were standing to our surprise. He ordered that our documents be presented from wherever it was hidden. We tendered all our documents and evidence of our mission in Ghana and the man was surprise that such an issue was going on right under his nose without his notice even though those officers where pretending to have duly informed him. The sector commander felt for us after he has gone through our documents. We talked at length anyway. He was intelligent and understanding. A man of steely resolve on principles. Yet soft to the core in relation with people. He advised we should be allowed to continue our journey once the President of Ghana Union Journalists gets in touch with him either through phone call or send a letter or better still any form of clearance from Ghana Electoral Commission whose office gave us accredited us. We exchange pleasantries and appreciation for his friendly intervention. At this point, it was already early Monday morning. He left the office but passed instructions to his subjects to comply with the resolution of our meeting with him. We said good bye to him knowing fully well he has shot down for the day.
The concept of border is central to philosophy and human theory. Not only from a strategic, administrative and militaristic perspective. The mismatch and confusion against us started again Monday morning not minding the inhuman treatment melted on us, we have to sit till day break. The immigration officers who took over changed the narrative against us and it became very clear that there is danger but we refuse to be exceptionally vulnerable and we need to act fast. We alerted our Ghanaian contact who signaled the Lagos Journalists League, Nigeria who informed the world and of cause the Nigerian embassy in Ghana of our plight. It is therefore a huge shock to them and surprise when calls started coming in from different quarters to the sector commander and his subjects. Diplomatic pressure mounted and they were overwhelmed with calls. Yes, a big thanks to Lagos Journalists League, Nigeria. It was at this point that the double-standard, immoral attack on us, Nigeria nation and vilification was dropped and there was an uneasy calm, one of the controversial officers among them came to informed us that they are under pressure from the Nigeria embassy in Ghana.
This creates a policy situation that defies the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons, goods and services in the sub-region. There should therefore be no barriers to intra-community trade and movement. The rogue act of Ghanaian Immigration calls for a deliberative structures and new ways of participatory investigation to review and renew a national border management strategy couldn’t have come at a better time as it shows the willingness and commitment of the government to respond to the current challenges relating to migration and border management at the national, regional and global levels in a strategic manner. A border is not a war zone.
Additionally, the new strategy must be designed to reinforce social harmony as well as ensure the protection of migrants’ human rights and the protection of vulnerable migrants, and gender mainstreaming. It also factors in the special needs of cross-border communities with common heritage and close family ties across national boundaries, and the special considerations of managing borders in certain areas with significant security challenges.
Beyond this, a lack of transparency and oversight also means that the media is deprived of important information for both standard and investigative reporting. That barrier between relevant government information and journalists means that the public is not only less informed, but less aware of government failures. Coordinated efforts within and across states will assist media and boarder public awareness in two ways. First, by allowing journalists to see, personally, what conditions are like in facilities housing detainees and by allowing journalists to speak to detainees, those journalists will be better positioned to write accurate and detailed stories about the relevant policies and their effects on individuals.
Once again, we want to say special thank you to the Lagos State Journalists League and the Nigerian Embassy in Ghana and every one who came to our rescue during our ordeal in the hands of Ghana Immigration Services.
Sesan Awobiye
A Journalist with Momentous Magazine
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