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According to outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo, all holders of African passports can now travel to Ghana without a visa.
He unveiled the initiative last month, but during his final state-of-the-nation address on Friday, he confirmed that the regulation took effect at the start of the year.
The ambition for visa-free travel within the continent has long been a goal for advocates of pan-African principles and is regarded as essential for economic collaboration.
Ghana has now become the fifth African nation to provide this opportunity to travelers from other countries on the continent.
The other nations include Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin.
“I take pride in having approved visa-free travel to Ghana for all African passport holders, effective from the beginning of this year,” Akufo-Addo remarked to lawmakers during his final address to parliament before he departs next week after eight years in office.
“This represents the next logical step towards the African Continental Free Trade Area and the operations of the world’s largest trading bloc,” he stated, referencing the zone that was established four years ago.
In an annual assessment of visa accessibility across Africa, Ghana was ranked fifth last year, as it already facilitated visa-free travel for citizens of 26 continental nations.
In recent years, Ghana has been promoting itself as a prime destination for individuals from the continent and the African diaspora to explore. In 2019, Akufo-Addo initiated the Year of Return – a program aimed at encouraging individuals with African heritage to invest in the nation.
The president utilized his final state-of-the-nation address to summarize his two terms in office.
Despite having overseen challenging economic periods for numerous Ghanaians, he asserted that “growth has reverted to the pre-Covid trajectory,” stating that he leaves behind a nation “that is prospering.”
Since having completed two terms, Akufo-Addo was ineligible to seek re-election last month. Nevertheless, his party’s choice for succession, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, faced a significant defeat to John Mahama.
Mahama is scheduled to be inaugurated on Tuesday.
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