Travellers using public buses from Accra to the Upper West Region have this unpleasant experience of always being subjected to some searches, harassment and extortion at various checkpoints by immigration officers who demand to inspect travellers Ghana Card.

The last time I checked, there’s no international border on the way travelling from Accra to Wa, and there is also no law that mandates travellers to do internal travels using only Ghana Cards.

I want to believe that Ghana is still a democracy and not a military state, and I’m not aware that a state of emergency has been declared in the Upper West Region.
I therefore fail to understand why immigration officers should mount roadblocks to inspect Ghana Cards of travellers.

I’m particularly disturbed because there are no such immigration checkpoints between Accra and BA. It is only when you are in the Upper West Region that you begin to experience such rare harassments.
I think something is patently wrong here as it smacks discrimination against the people of Upper West, particularly the poor. Because, when you travel by your own means of transport to Wa, no one stops you anywhere to ask such questions.

Surprisingly, a native of the Upper West region is the minister for interior.
Why are we presumed to be Ghanaians?

By the way, the opportunity for harassment and extortion has become rife.

It has been witnessed where two instances where some two suspected Fulani travellers who couldn’t produce Ghana Cards instantly were called into a certain room, and they returned moments later to join the bus to continue their journey

All through the Ashanti Region, no immigration officer stopped the bus.
Our MPs need to be aligned with the concerns of their constituents.

Source: King Noah Na-Ibo
0541023200