Ghana is working to implement a visa-free policy to allow Africans to travel to the country without the hustle of acquiring visas.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the 2024 African Prosperity Dialogues (APD) in Accra on Thursday, said his government has resolved to implement the visa-free policy this year.
“I know that many of you have to acquire a visa to come to this event; we made a special arrangement for this conference. We reduced the visa acquisition fee by 50% and we were thus able to receive your visas on arrival,” he told the participants at the ceremony.
Speaking on the theme: Developing Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add Value and Trade, President Akufo-Addo called for greater collaboration to critically examine the outcomes of the dialogues to meet the expectations of all, particularly the private sector.
“These dialogues have to examine critically the responsibilities and expectations of the private sector and demand the same of the public sector and expect that both can work as partners to achieve the Africa we want,” the President stated.
“Let us work to get the buy-in of the small trader, builder, farmer and seamstress and make them believe that having a single market can benefit them,” President Akufo-Addo entreated.
The three-day programme, brought together government representatives, business leaders and entrepreneurs, particularly from African countries to brainstorm and take advantage of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues, organised by the APN in partnership with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and the Government of Ghana, among others, serves as a dedicated annual platform that brings together African business executives and organisations, thought leaders, and political leaders to think, plan and work together with the needed urgency to build the world’s largest single market in Africa.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues was adopted by the African Union in 2023 to mobilise the private sector to drive the continent’s all-important AfCFTA project.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
