The parliament of Ghana has approved a visa waiver agreement between Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), allowing Ghanaians with all type of traveling passports to make a trip to Dubai and can stay for a period not exceeding 90 days without a visa.
The visa waiver agreement, which was contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Ghana and the UAE on mutual exemption of entry visa requirements, is in respect of diplomatic, service/special, and ordinary traveling passport holders.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, who is the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, subsequently presented the MoU to the House on May 26, 2021. The deal was approved on Thursday August 5, 2021, after a referral to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration.
The free entry approved for diplomatic and other official categories is because the holders’ conducts is usually in line with public and state security apparatus. The agreement comprises structured visa regimes for both countries and does not impose obligations to admit people who are considered to be of questionable character.
The Ghanaian parliament says while visa waiver arrangements to facilitate the movement of diplomats and government officials are common, this one makes ordinary passport holders beneficiaries.
Some Ghanaians are, however, hoping for such visa waiver agreement between other countries like the United States.
rjbaidoo 