GHANA: The Year of Return Experience – Extortion, Corruption and Harassment at the Kotoka International Airport
President Nana Akufo-Addo declared 2019 as The Year of Return, a Ghana Tourism initiative which aimed at making Ghana a key travel destination for the African diaspora and to promote investment in Ghana and foster relationships with the diaspora. This resulted in many African diaspora travelling to Ghana, some for the first time. The experiences of some of these African diaspora unfortunately is that of a sad one.
In the week Ghana was reportedly ranked among the most corrupt countries globally by a U.S. News agency, officials at the Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport have been caught harassing and extorting money from passengers.
In an exclusive secret recording in the possession of Starr Radio UK, a Ghanaian lady based in Italy who recently visited Ghana had the shock of her life when she came face to face with what she described as “despicable corruption and shameless behavior” by the part of immigration officers.
The chilling recording reveals how the lady who was due to travel back to Italy on the 16th of January 2020 aboard an Air Italy aircraft 7M8 which was scheduled to depart from Terminal T3 at 04.20 am to Milan Malpensa was harassed, humiliated by the Ghana immigration officers who were on duty on the night of the 15th of January 2020.
On arrival at the Airport, the immigration officials first doubted the lady had a Ghanaian parentage simply because she couldn’t speak the Akan language – Twi. After subjecting her to harassment, the immigration officer can be heard demanding $100.00 from the lady. The lady who said she did not have the $100.00 pleaded with the officer to even take her number and call her when she arrives back in Italy so she can send him 200 Euros but all to no avail. The officer was still pushing the lady to dole out $100.00.
Below is the full audio –
Source: by Samuel Wood for Starr Radio UK
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Have you had a similar experience in Ghana, are you interested in joining the upcoming documentary on – the Diaspora experience in Ghana? Starr Radio UK, the leading African and Caribbean station in London would love to hear from you. Please contact us via info@starradiouk.com . Alternately, visit our website www.starradiouk.com and use the CONTACT
