Ghana Immigration officers at Terminal 3 taking money from foreigners

A South African woman who travlled to Ghana has shared her encounter with Immigration officers at Terminal three.

The woman said she was made to pay cash even though she wanted to use her visa card.

She added that the officials spoke in a local language she did not understand and cannot state exactly all they said.

The Immigration officers at the Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport has been accused of extorting money from foreign nationals and refusing to issue receipt after payment.

The Business and Financial Times said these unscrupulous immigration officers do not account for the visa on arrival cash they collect from foreigners to the government. It is suspected that they pocket the income which leads to revenue leakages.

A South African national who arrived in Ghana on October 24, 2019, narrated her ordeal at the airport. She said she had to endure the unprofessional activities of some airport immigration officers who forced her to pay cash though she insisted on paying with her visa card.

“I told them I don’t have cash so I want to swipe my visa card to make payment; they said ‘no’, I should go and withdraw money from the ATM.”

Contrary to what the officers said, there are other payment options which include visa payment.

The officials who perpetrate such corrupt acts are said to be causing financial loss to the state because the monies collected from these foreigners are not accounted for.

The South African woman who narrated her experience said that the immigration officers made her pay GHC500 instead of the initial GH¢800 when they felt she was making trouble for insisting on a receipt after payment. She added that the officers diverted her to an ‘unapproved route’ after her encounter with them.

“They told me I can’t have a receipt. I didn’t want to insist on that because I was scared they could revoke my visa, because they were all together in that: from the one who stamped my passport and the one who takes the cash. They were communicating in their local language and I didn’t understand what they were saying.”

(0 votes) 0/5
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on whatsapp
WhatsApp
Share on email
Email
Art of Tea - Tea of the Month
[oa_social_login]
[oa_social_login]