Outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has said all African passport holders can now visit Ghana without a visa.
He announced the plan last month, but said in his final State of the Nation address on Friday that the policy took effect at the beginning of the year.
Visa-free travel within the African continent is a long-standing aspiration of those who promote Pan-African values and is seen as essential for economic cooperation.
Ghana is currently the fifth African country to offer this service to travelers from other parts of the continent.
The others are Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia and Benin.
“I am proud to have approved visa-free travel to Ghana for all African passport holders, effective from the beginning of this year,” Akufo-Addo told parliament before resigning next week after an eight-year term. In his final speech, he told members of Congress. office.
“This is the next logical step towards the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the world's largest trading bloc,” he said, referring to the region that came into force four years ago.
In the annual ranking of Africa's visa openness, Ghana ranked fifth last year as it already offers visa-free travel to nationals of 26 countries on the continent.
Ghana has increased its status as a destination for people from the continent and African diaspora in recent years. In 2019, Akufo-Addo launched Year of Return, an initiative to encourage people with African roots to invest in Africa.
In his final State of the Nation address, the president reflected on his two terms in office.
Despite overseeing tough economic conditions for most Ghanaians, he said “growth has returned to its pre-COVID-19 trajectory,” adding that it leaves a “prosperous” country. .
Mr Akufo-Addo has already served two terms, but lost his bid for re-election last month. However, his party's choice to succeed him, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, lost to John Mahama by a wide margin.
Mr Mahama is scheduled to take office on Tuesday.
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